124 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



OUTSIDE AVOEK. 



The hardest work done outside of my reguhir college duties was the collecting 

 and preparing the collection of the forest products of Michigan for the Centen- 

 nial Exposition. The work proved of greater magnitude than I anticipated, on 

 account of so many failures of people to fulfill promises in collecting specimens. 

 The task was rendered more arduous, as most of it was done while I was in poor 

 health. A disease which lasted a good part of the year was contracted while 

 making the collection. 



It cost more time and personal effort to prepare for the Centennial the list of 

 native and foreign grasses than any one would suppose who has not undertaken 

 a similar task. As in the case of the forest products, much of the work could 

 not be trusted to any one else. 



The list of 350 varieties of potatoes sent to Philadelphia was a small task 

 compared with the two collections of grasses forwarded. 



Ill health prevented me from taking an active part in the first farmers' insti- 

 •tutes last winter. An essay on grasses was prepared and was printed in the last 

 report. 



I gave a sliort lecture at the December meeting ■ of the State Pomological 

 Society on the Forests of Michigan. A lecture was given at a farmer's fruit fes- 

 tival at Allen's, Hillsdale county, on the progress of Horticulture. The same 

 Avas given to the students and faculty of the Agricultural College. 



During a few days of the vacation in August I attended the American Asso- 

 ciation for the advancement of science, held in Buffalo, N. Y., and read four 

 papers on the following subjects : Phyllotoxis of Cones ; Can Unios See? The 

 Fertilization of Apple Blossoms ; Sensitive Stigmas as an aid to Cross-Fertiliza- 

 tions. Quite a number of short articles have been contributed to the American 

 Naturalist, various agricultural journals of the country, besides answers to many 

 inquiries as to names of plants and other subjects. 



CLOSIXG EEMARKS. 



There are many experiments which I should like to try at the Agricultural 

 College, but I am not certain that farmers are ready for them. If well carried 

 out the best of them would require mucii thought and care in observing and 

 recording all the points necessary. But few good experiments can be reasona- 

 bly expected of the Horticultural Department while my time is more than filled 

 with the duties of teaching and plans and oversight of every day work of the 

 students. The writer is willing, and even desirous of trying some good experi- 

 ments as soon as wayS can be devised to carry them through. 



Again, as last jeav and the year before, I am gratified to testify to the con- 

 tinued faithfulness of my assistants, — to Mr. Oscar Terrell, the teamster; to 

 Mr. James Cassady, the gardener; to Mr. Charles W. Garfield, my foreman. 

 I must also mention the unusual interest and faithfulness of many of my stud- 

 ents Avhile at work, especially some of the members of tlie Senior and Junior 

 ■classes. 



To the students I would say, the eyes of all the ofHcers are upon you, eagerly 

 watching for success while you are students here and after you leave the College. 

 Meritorious work any Avhere, in the class room, in the field, or in the garden 

 stamps a favorable impression on the minds of all your instructors, Avho know 

 jou better tlian you can imagine or understand. 



Eespectfully submitted. 



W. J. BEAL, 

 Prof, of Botany and Horticulture. 



