36 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



tories, and residences. The artesian well from which our present supply 

 comes is now taxed to its utmost in warm weather, even though little 

 watering of the lawns is done; but by providing another well the supply 

 would be increased sufficiently to furnish all that would be required. 



During the year few changes have been made upon the grounds, except 

 that a number of tlower beds have been laid out and a considerable 

 amount of shrubbery planted. Last fall the side drive leading from the 

 Station Terrace to Howard Terrace was discontinued and private drives 

 to the residences provided. During the spring the drive in front of Abbot 

 Hall was also closed, and a considerable amount of planting was done 

 about that building. In the winter we used the teams for hauling gravel 

 with which to cover the drives, and they were thus greatly improved. 

 In the past year a large amount of work has been done upon the public 

 drive along the north side of the College premises, and the improvement 

 has not only been of value to the public who use this highway, but also 

 prevents a large amount of wear to the College drives, from heavy teams 

 passing through, as they have kept outside of the grounds since the high- 

 way was improved. 



THE GKEENH0U8ES. 



During the year the green-houses have been in charge of the florist, Mr. 

 Thomas Gunson, who has occupied the same position for several years. 

 Many of the palms and stove-plants purchased four or five years ago 

 have made an excellent growth, and have become very fine specimens. 

 During the winter a large number of bulbs were forced for winter flower- 

 ing; and the number of roses, carnations and violets grown in the house 

 was somewhat larger than in previous years. At least twice each 

 week during the session of the Legislature, bouquets of flowers were jjro- 

 vided for the desks of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the 

 House, as well as for a number of public functions at the Capitol. The 

 grapery gave a large crop of fruit in 1896, and the crop now upon the vines 

 is large and promising. This house, built from the better portions of the 

 house torn down in 1892, has been very useful to the department in a num- 

 ber of ways. 



INSTITUTES AND FAIES. 



I attended the long fruit Institute at Shelby, and on each day gave a 

 talk upon subjects relating to fruit culture. The remainder of my Insti- 

 tute work was done during the summer, in attending short Institutes, at 

 which I was the only one in attendance from the College. The first was 

 held at Hudson and lasted one day, and brought out a large attendance. 

 It was held in connection with a meeting of the Lenawee and Hillsdale 

 Horticultural Society. The following day an Institute was held at Adrian 

 "in the same county, under the joint auspices of the Farmers' Institute 

 and the Horticultural Society. Later on similar meetings were held at 

 Traverse City, Chief and Frankfort, and at Rollin, Adrian and Pfters- 

 burgh, in connection with the Farmers' Institute Society of the res])ective 

 counties. Although the meetings were held at a busy time for the 

 farmers, the attendance in most cases was good and much interest was 

 manifested in the meetings. Considering the small expense of holding 



