30 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



be obtained, and the construction of a bridge just south of the Wild Gar- 

 den, the old rustic bridge having become unsafe. 



For several years the use of the college drives as a thoroughfare by teams 

 going to and from Lansing, had so increased, and the privilege was so 

 abused, that it became necessary, in order to keep the drives in good con- 

 dition, to close the north and east gates, and open a new outlet towards 

 the north by means of a drive constructed along the east side of the 

 Arboretum. While affording a means of entering the grounds from that 

 direction, it js sufficiently indirect to keep out teams loaded with stone, 

 wood, hay and straw, that have in the past so worn the drives and littered 

 the lawns. 



Among the additions to our office and class room conveniences may be 

 noted a card index of our orchard and ornamental trees, which had 

 become almost a necessity from the extensive planting of recent years in our 

 experimental orchards; a card catalogue, arranged as a subject index to 

 the horticultural periodicals and the reports of horticultural societies, and 

 last but not least the collection of wax fruits and vegetables and the other 

 exhibits made by this department at Chicago, which have been returned 

 and are to be a part of our class room equipment. 



During the summer a considerable addition was made to our economic 

 herbarium. 



GEOUNDS. 



The frequent rains of the spring and early summer kept the lawns in 

 excellent condition, but the drought of July and August parched them 

 badly. The shrubbery planted in 1891 and 1892 made an excellent show- 

 ing the first part of the season, but, although it suffered no permanent 

 injury, its growth was checked from lack of rain. The flowers, also, where 

 they could not be reached by the hydrants, suffered severely during August 

 from the same reason. When not otherwise employed, the teams were 

 engaged in hauling gravel for the drives and in a short time they will be 

 in good condition. 



GREENHOUSES. 



The plants, under the care of the florist, Mr. Thomas Gunson, have been 

 in excellent condition, and particularly those planted out have made a good 

 growth. A plant of Abyssinian banana, Miisa ensete, has been par- 

 ticularly striking in appearance, it having a stem over two feet in diame- 

 ter and leaves nearly twenty feet long, when but eighteen months from 

 seed, with nearly all of the growth made in nine months. The orchids 

 have flowered quite freely and have been much admired. The palms, 

 crotons, dracaanas and ferns have also been very attractive, and the houses 

 have been kept bright during the summer months by very good collections 

 of tuberous begonias and fancy-leaved caladiums. The beds of cannas, 

 coleus and geraniums in the lawns near the greenhouse have been kept 

 watered and throughout the season have been very striking in appearance, 

 owing in part to the contrast with the parched lawns around them. 

 While our present greenhouses enable us to secure quite good results, 

 our plant is by no means complete. What is most needed is a small house 

 to be used for propagating purposes, and a vegetable house in which the 

 winter forcing of vegetables can be carried on. We have used the houses 



