50 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE PARK. 



Directly east of the main entrance to the State capitol is a wide avenue, 

 wluc'h torininates three and a half miles distant, at the ,i;ate of the ^rounds of 

 the Miciiig;an State Agricultural Ci>lle<2;e. These grdunds arc C^G acres in 

 extent, and are separated into two parts hy the Ked Cedar River, a small 

 stream \Yhose source is thirty miles away. The college farm is mosily on tho 

 South side of this river, and the buildings are all in one large park of about 

 100 acres on the north side. The college park has been laid out in the main 

 by iMr. Adam Oliver, a landscape gaidener of Kalamazoo, Mich. He is not 

 responsible for the drive from the chemical laboratory to the greenhouse, nor 

 for the drives near the new library building. There are in the park no straight 

 rows of buildings or of trees, but its moi'c than thirty buildings, if barns be 

 included in the number, are sepai'ated by undulating lawns, shallow ravines, 

 and groups of trees. In one place only the method of grou[)ing trc.'S is de- 

 parted from, for along the highway, a mile in extent, a double row of elms, 

 one without the fence and one within, forms a double walk along the road. 



There are three entrances to grounds, but the west one, being nearest the 

 city, is most used. 



The drive from thisentrance ascends a hill, and, leaving a pear and a cherry 

 orchard on the left, keeps near the steep river bank on the right. At the top 

 of the hill the drive divides, the left hand road passing by tho prerident's 

 house, a small astronomical observatory, and seven dwelling houses for some 

 of the officers of the College. The right hand drive follovvs the winding river 

 bank, passes the apiary on the left and the new botanical laboratory, and 

 crosses a ravine near the wild garden by a rustic bridge, modeled after one in 

 the New York Central Park. From this place walks and drives diverge to 

 the College Hall, the boarding hall, the greenhouse, the chemical laboratory, 

 the library and museum, and other buiklings. Beyond this group of build- 

 ings are the farm house, tho farm buildings, and the carpenter shop ; still 

 farther on are the vegetable, the small fruits and the ap[)le orchard, and the 

 bridge that leads to the main part of the farm. The trees and shrubs have 

 been labeled by Dr. Beal, the Professor of Botany, with their scientific natnes 

 and their common names, and in 1878 a catalogue of many of these trees and 

 shrubs was printed in the report of the Board. There have been important 

 additions since that time. During the past two years the courses of lectures 

 in horticulture were delivered by Dr. Beal. He had charge of out-of-door 

 work during the autumn of 1880. From March, 1881, to the close of present 

 time the charge of the work has been in the hands of Mr. Louis Knapper, 

 excepting the greenhouse, which during that time has maintained an inde- 

 pendent place among the departments. Neither the Horticultural Departrnent 

 outside of class-room, nor the greenhouse have had a representation iu the 

 faculty. Mr. Cassiily, florist, was very sick from August, 18S1, to March, 

 188'-i, and unable to give much personal attention to his duties. During this 

 time Mrs. Cassidy took charge of the work of students with great energy and 

 skill. 



Mr. Knapper has made many and marked improvements upon the grounds 

 and in the departments generally. Mr. Kuap[)er has felt that the team work 

 in the depaitnient was insufficient. In this I'espect he has but reiterated the 

 opinion of Dr. Beal, his pi'edeci-ssor, who emi»hasized it by fornjally asking 

 the President what portion of his duties he should neglect. Dr. Beal kept 

 his own horse at work on the college grounds a large part of the time, so that 



