34 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



SPECIAL COURSES. 



During the past winter the usual six weeks' course in Horticulture 

 has been given and along the lines mentioned in previous reports. Nine 

 students were enrolled, a slight increase over the previous year. Horti- 

 cultural short courses do not commend themselves to fruit growers for 

 the reason that it is absolutely impossible to teach horticulture in six 

 weeks, and especially at a time of the year when work out of doors cannot 

 be done. Probably better results could be secured by offering three dis- 

 tinct courses, — one in Pomology; one in Floriculture; and one in Vegeta- 

 ble Gardening. At present a smattering of all of these is given under the 

 general head of horticulture. 



SPRAYING THE ELMS. 



A scale insect has been feeding on the campus elms for the past decade 

 or more. A few trees have been killed by the depredators, many have 

 been greatly injured and practically all somewhat injured. An appro- 

 priation was made by the State Board of Agriculture in November, 1902, 

 of ^f)50 to check the scale. During March and April, 1903, the four hun- 

 dred and eighty elms on the College grounds were sprayed with lime, 

 salt and sulphur, as recommended by the Station Entomologist, Mr. 

 Pettit. The results are very gratifying. All of the trees show the 

 benefit of the treatment. On account of the rapidity with which the 

 foliage came out in the early spring of this year, part of the trees in the 

 «lm avenue could not be sprayed on both sides. These trees should be 

 re-sprayed next season. 



THE HERBARIUM. 



The department has started an herbarium for illustrative work in the 

 class-room. The purpose is to obtain specimens of all the cultivated 

 plants in the country. The work in the summer of 1902 was under the 

 charge of Moses Craig, formerly professor of Botany in the Oregon Agri- 

 cultural College. Under him a splendid start has been made. The col- 

 lection now numbers over one thousand specimens. 



THE RIVER BANK. 



The river bank near the President's house has been caving badly 

 during the past few years. To prevent such caving, forty piles have been 

 driven, A retaining wall is being built against these piles which it is 

 hojted will effectively provide against future caving. 



THE HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY. 



The department library, consisting of the T. T. Lyon collection of 

 about 500 volumes, and of books purchased by the department, making 

 nearly seven hundred in all, has been catalogued during the year and ar- 

 ranged for the convenience of students and members of the department 

 teaching force. 



HORTICULTURAL CLUB. 



The students specializing in Horticulture have organized and main- 

 tain a horticultural club, which meets every other Wednesday night. 



