28 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



about lis which we do not see, because we have never been taught to observe 

 tbeni. It is of prime importance that the botanist sliould be tauglit to note in 

 his mind the likenesses and dillerences in every day phmts about him. In- 

 struction is then given in the functions of the various parts of different plants, 

 the anatomy of stem, roots, leaves and other organs. 



The student is tauglit the classification of plants, and to a limited extent 

 becomes familiar with the different orders, and the kind of plants found in 

 them, their uses in manufactures, for food, or ornament, and their geographi- 

 cal distribution. 



Of course very sjiecial attention is given to the grains and grasses, and other 

 plants grown in Michigan. Trees and shrubs are plants to a botanist, and 

 those that grow, or that are cultivated in our State are studied. 



Botany makes a near approach to agriculture when it discusses the principles 

 of the germination, growth, fecundation, fruiting, and seed -making processes 

 of plants. The study of any cro]) sends the student back to the botanist, and 

 then to tiie chemist for the means of understanding it. Chemistry and botany 

 are sciences underlying husbandry, and the professors of these sciences, when 

 thev teach with distinct reference to agriculture, arc the professors of scien- 

 tific, as distinguished from practical agriculture. 



The instruction in botany is given, like that in practical agriculture, partly 

 in the Freshman, and })artly in the Senior year. In the Senior year the course 

 of studv consists of laboratory work with the compound microscope. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Lectures in horticulture succeed the Freshman course in botany, and is 

 given to the Juniors, inasmuch as during their year the class have systematic 

 work in the Horticultural Department. One afternoon a week a section of 

 this class spends in company with the professor in the orchard, vineyard, gar- 

 dens, or the park in work which, being wholly for educational purposes, is 

 given without compensation. 



The Horticultural Department has allotted to it one-third of so much of the 

 working force of students as is given to farm and gardens — the farm taking 

 two-thirds. 



The means of illustration in the Departments of Botany and Horticulture 

 are : — 



The botanical gardens about the greenhouse and in other places, where a 

 great variety of plants are grown, and where, as the grounds admit of it, and 

 the purposes of science are not disturbed by it, they are tastefully arranged by 

 the gardener of the College. A large variety of the grasses are grown in rows 

 for study. West of the greenhouse the bank of a ravine has been converted 

 by means of a rockery into a receptacle for plants requiring different degrees 

 of moisture, until at the bottom we have marsh, and water i)lants. 



The greenhouse witli its several rooms differing in heat and moisture furnishes 

 the student an opportunity of studying plants that will not grow in our climate, 

 but which illustrate principles of botany and vegetable physiology, or help to 

 a knowledge of different orders, or are themselves of interest for their uses. 

 The number of plants is about 'J,000 and of 1,180 species and varieties. 



An arboretum north of the professors' houses contains nearly all the kinds 

 of trees that grow in the State, and many which do not, in rows, while in the 

 College l*ark the trees are labelled, to enable the student to distinguish them. 

 The jirofessor of botany has been preparing a key or guide to the trees. 



There is an apple orchard of over 400 trees, embracing about 300 varieties 



