38 DEPARTMENT JtEPORTS. 



of the department for manual labor, is one hundred and twenty-live, of 

 whom fifteen have been seniors, thirty-five juniors, and seventy-five fresh- 

 men. The largest number enrolled at any one time was during the fait 

 term, when eighty-five were recorded. 



As the curriculum is now arranged the juniors are required to work in 

 this department, and an attempt is made to so arrange the work for them, 

 that they at pome time during the year will perform all of the more important 

 operations of horticulture, such as sowing seed, transplanting, grafting, 

 budding, layering, making cuttings of various kinds, pruning, and preparing 

 vegetables and fruits for market. 



When not engaged in the so-called educational work they are used to 

 superintend the work of the under classes, in experimental work, or in 

 such other duties as they can perform to the best advantage. 



The seniors, with whom the work is elective, are as far as is possible 

 allowed to select their own line of labor, in the vegetable or fruit gardens, 

 or on the grounds, as supervisors, or in taking notes upon the condition of 

 the crops or trees. 



To the freshmen falls most of the drudgery of the department, such as- 

 hoeing, ditching, weeding, and composting. Although much of the work 

 has been far from inviting, it has been cheerfully performed. With few 

 exceptions the attendance has been regular, and the students have taken 

 hold of the work in a satisfactory manner. 



The labor system in this department owes much of its success during the 

 past year to the earnest support it has received from other members of the 

 faculty. Individually and as a body, they have aided in placing the manual 

 labor on the same plane as the class room exercises. 



HORTICULTURAL LABORATORY. 



The new laboratory was completed in November and was fitted up and 

 furnished ready for occupancy at the opening of the spring term. It ha& 

 proved well adapted to the work for which it was designed. 



The class room is on the second floor, is well lighted and is provided with 

 blackboards, and seats for seventy students. The specimen room adjoining 

 is provided with three cases for specimens and apparatus for class room use, 

 and space remains for three small wall cases to be added as needed. A 

 beginning has been made upon a collection of the different kinds of fruit 

 for purposes of study and comparison. We desire also a collection of veg- 

 etable seeds, and in addition to such varieties as we are able save ourselves, 

 have been promised a complete collection by D. M. Ferry & Co. of Detroit. 



One of the cases will be used for a collection of all the hand tools used by 

 the horticulturist. 



The laboratory room proper is provided with tables, cases, etc., and is 

 occupied in the fall by the juniors and in the spring by the seniors who 

 elect horticulture. The seed room is also on the second floor and is equipped 

 with seed cases and tables. 



The rooms on the first floor consist of the study or office of the depart- 

 ment, with desks, bookcases, etc. ; the tool room, in which are the racks 

 and cases containing the tools used by the students in their manual labors 

 and the carpenter shop in which many simple appliances are made and the 

 broken implements are repaired. 



