AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 437 



EEPORT OF THE BOTANIC DEPART- 

 MENT. 



J. C. Greenough, President. 



I have the honor to report the following upon the condi- 

 tion of the department under my charge. 



Early in the year this department met with a great loss in 

 the burnino^ of the " Durfee Plant House" and the destruc- 

 tion of a large and very valuable collection of plants, includ- 

 ing most of the stock for the propagation of bedding plants 

 for the spring sales and for planting. 



About 8 o'clock in the evening of January 23d, fire was 

 discovered in the work-room, but it had gained such head- 

 way that nothing could save the main building. The stu- 

 dents were soon on the grounds, and by the use of light 

 snow, which was abundant, the two wings — the lily and 

 stove rooms, and the propagating pits were saved, although 

 the plants within them were very much injured. At this 

 time the thermometer indicated 8° below 0°, and as soon as 

 the flames were under control, stoves were procured, by 

 which means, and covering the sides of the houses with 

 mats the temperature within was kept above freezing until 

 the boiler and pipes could be repaired, which was not until 

 the afternoon of the 25th. The origin of the fire cannot be 

 satisfactorily accounted for, but it undoubtedly started in a 

 pile of wood not far from the large boiler. 



The wings and the pits were at once temporarily repaired, 

 and stock plants purchased for propagation for spring sales. 

 The two most valuable plants in the collection, the sago and 

 fan palms, were taken up as soon as possible the next morn- 

 ing, and although their tops were burned completely off, and 

 they were exposed to extreme cold for more than twelve 



