52 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



During the summer I was requested to visit Hillsdale by the Mayor aud 

 Commou Council of that city to investigate the shade trees iu that city, many 

 of which were diseased or dying. I made the examination, and found the 

 cause of the trouble to be the leaking mains to the gas pipes. I made a report, 

 which was published in all the Hillsdale papers. 



During the past winter I entirely revised and rewrote my Bee Keeper's 

 Guide. This tenth thousand was issued May 3d. September 3d the entire 

 edition had been sold. 



My correspondence has become immense. Some single days the past sum- 

 mer I have had as many as fifteen letters. These are mostly in reference to 

 practical or scientific matters connected with insects or bees. 1 have never 

 failed to give all such inquiries the earliest possible attention. To answer such 

 letters often requires hours of study aud labor. 



Respectfully submitted, 



A. J. COOK. 



REPORT OF THE PROFESSOR OF BOTANY AND FORESTRY. 



To the Pi-esident : 

 I herewith present a brief report for the year closing September 30th, 1883. 



BOTANY. 



During the autumn term of 1883, for the first half of the time, forty-eight 

 spohomores, in two sections, took the course of systematic botany, paying 

 especial attention to some of the leading natural orders which are of eco- 

 nomic value. During the last half of the spring term the seniors, twenty- 

 eight in number, pursued the study of physiological botany, for two hours 

 daily. Each student was supplied with a compound microscope, costing from 

 thirty-live to eighty dollars. Lectures were given once a week. Plereafter a 

 whole term, with daily practice, will be given to physiological botany. 



The freshmen, during the last term of the year — the summer term — began 

 botany iu two sections, with daily work. There were fifty names on the roll. 



Throughout the year there have been at all times from one to five students 

 taking some advanced v/ork iu botany. 



I have frequently met a few students by themselves, to help them over stud- 

 ies in which they had failed, or to help them over subjects which were studied 

 by the class during their absence from sickness or other cause, or to help 

 special students who could not take the study with tlie class. 



HOBTICULTUEE. 



I gave a course of lectures daily, to the members of the Junior class, during 

 the autumn term. There were forty names on the roll. 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



During the last half of the summer term, daily lectures were given to the 

 sophomores, fifty-one in number. 



farmers' instttutes. 



I attended and took part in institutes held by the State Board of Agricult- 

 ure in Parmiugtou and Jeddo. 



