DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 59 



REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



To the President: 



Sir— I herewith submit a report of the Horticultural Department for 

 the past year. 



The classroom instruction has been along similar lines to those fol- 

 lowed in previous years, but, owing to the rearrangement of the course, 

 the topics were pursued in a different order. 



During the winter term the juniors received instruction in floriculture 

 for the first six weeks, and the last half of the term was occupied with 

 lectures in pomology. During the spring term the sophomore and junior 

 classes were instructed for the first six weeks in vegetable gardening, 

 and the remainder of the term was given up to landscape gardening. 



In floriculture the subject was presented so as to include both the 

 culture of flowers in the home and the growing of the leading crops of 

 the commercial florist. In connection with this classroom instruction 

 students were occupied each afternoon in practical work in the green- 

 house and forcing houses. They thus learned to make cuttings of dif- 

 ferent kinds of plants, the care of propagating beds, potting and repot- 

 ting plants as well as the sowing of seeds, pricking out and caring for 

 seedlings in pots and bov^s, and ihe general handling of flowers and 

 vegetable plants under glass. Each student also gave a week or more to 

 the study of greenhouse construction, and was required to draw complete 

 plans and make estimates upon the cost of the houses, including the 

 heating plants. 



The instruction in vegetable gardening included the planting and grow- 

 ing of the ordinary garden vegetables, and, in connection with this, the 

 selection and preparation of the soil, preparation and use of manure and 

 fertilizers, the construction of hot beds and cold frames, as fell as drain- 

 age and irrigation for the vegetable gargen, were considered. 



In landscape gardening, the grading and preparation of the lawn, the 

 arrangement and construction of walks and drives, and the selection of 

 trees, shrubs and flowers, and their arrangement in groups and beds re- 

 ceived attention. 



During the spring term the practical work of the junior class consisted 

 of the routine work in the greenhouses and the fruit and vegetable gar- 

 dens, as well as in the orchards and on the grounds. In this way instruc- 

 tion in grafting, pruning and transplanting and in the care of orchard 

 trees was given, as well as the growing, transplanting and care of 

 nursery stock. 



In the vegetable garden the ground was prepared and the seeds were 

 sown, or the plants were transplanted from the forcing house, while on 

 the grounds the shrubbery was pruned, new groups and beds were made 

 and filled with plants and shrubs from the greenhouses. 



