438 BOAED OF AGEICULTURE. 



hours they are now growing vigorously and in a few years 

 will reach their original proportions. 



During the summer and fall the parts of the building 

 destroyed have been replaced by structures which are thought 

 to be much more ornamental and are certainly more conven- 

 ient and better adapted to the work of the department. The 

 work-room which covers the furnace cellar is two stories 

 high, the lower one being divided into two rooms, one for a 

 reception or waiting and sales-room, and the other the work- 

 room proper. In the second story two rooms have been 

 fitted up for a study and sleeping-room, while the north half 

 is devoted to the purposes of a tool and work room. The 

 foundation of this building was raised one foot higher than 

 that of the one destroyed, and by removing two or three 

 large piers and rearranging the heating pipes, more space has 

 been obtained, and the risk from fire very greatly reduced. 



The sales of flowers and plants for the remainder of the 

 winter and spring was much less than it would have been but 

 for this accident. 



Crops. 



The crops, notwithstanding the drought, have been much 

 better than last season. A detailed statement of the income 

 is appended to this report. 



Improvements. 



Among the improvements made upon the grounds of the 

 department are the draining of the land between the county 

 road and the one leading by the Botanic Museum, and the 

 springy side hill south-east from the plant houses. Nearly 

 2,000 feet of tile was laid in the most thorou2:h manner in 

 the former, and the land, which before scarcely produced 

 hay enough to pay for cutting, planted with corn, cabbages, 

 squashes and turnips. The crops upon this land were very 

 satisfactory, and it is now in the best possible condition for 

 iilmost any farm crop. The side-hill lot was underdrained 

 with stone-drains, — the stones being gathered from the 

 ■orchard and other land on the hill east from the plant house. 

 The drains are working perfectly and the land produced a 

 fine crop of squashes. 



