40 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



and beds were made by laying small stones. They look very neat, sizes 

 ranging with size of circles from 2 inches to G inches in diameter. One 

 of the neighbors kindly loaned us his team, and four loads of muck from 

 the swamp were placed on the garden. This was not half enough, how- 

 ever, the garden is so sandy. The wire around fence was donated by the 

 teacher. 



Five trees were set out on Arbor Day, but not having the wire for posts 

 yet, a drove of cattle held a rampage among them on Saturday, destroy- 

 ing three of them. One nice aspen still lives. We expect to set out more 

 this autumn. Seeds were planted at the time stated, and received the 

 best of care. The abundant rains helped to bring them up nicely, but in 

 spite of our efforts the flowers seemed destined to a worse fate than the 

 shade trees. In June great numbers of grasshoppers flocked to our gar- 

 den, attacking flrst our most delicate and tenderest plants. The nastur- 

 tiums and sweet williams were the last to go. The sunflowers, poppies 

 and a few other plants still survive. Sods were cut and placed in the cor- 

 ners of the garden and w'atered. They are doing nicely. We expect to 

 try again next year. 



Very truly, 



C. H. DEWEY, 



Teacher. 



REPORT FROM DISTRICT NO. 3, SPRINGPORT. 



Springport, Mich., October 5, 1896. 

 L. E. Tafl: 



Dear Sir — In conformity with the condition that we report the de- 

 gree of success of our undertaking in the matter of growing flowers on 

 the school lawn, I must first thank the Agricultural College for their 

 very thoughtful act of distributing seeds. 



In preparing the ground and planting the seed, we followed the direc- 

 tions as nearly as our circumstances would allow. 



One farmer very generously donated a quantity of manure, and the 

 patrons of the school in general took a keen solicitude in our enterprise. 



Although the pupils of the school are mostly young, the interest they 

 took in the work equaled my every expectation, and not one of them 

 would even think of discontinuing the work we have begun. 



One very obnoxious difficulty we have met is that some unthinking 

 people seem to have the idea that the flowers belonged to the public, and 

 these acts of pilfering were very annoying, but the indignation of the 

 patrons asserted itself, and I do not think we will be bothered by such 

 acts in the future. 



Notwithstanding the excessive amount of rainfall and other drawbacks, 

 our flowers prospered and excited the delight and admiration of all lovers 

 of the beautiful. 



Our beds lead directlv from the highwav, but next vear we will have 

 them nicely fenced, and the ground being broken, I think w^e will have 

 much better success in the future. Our seeds are nearly all gathered for 

 the fall, the children taking home what is not needed at the school, and 

 next year will have beds for themselves at home. 



I think with a little extra trouble, most schools that received your 

 very generous seed offer could save a collection of seeds to give any 



