DEPARTMENT REPORTS *29 



THE GROUNDS. 



Except for two short periods during the summer, the rainfall was 

 suflScient to keep the lawns in a fresh, green condition, and on these 

 occasions we were able to supply water to a considerable portion about 

 the buildings, so that the grass did not suffer as seriously from drouth as 

 in previous years, and as a consequence the turf is much more close and 

 velvety than ever before. 



The opening up of the College Delta made a walk in that direction a 

 necessity^ and during the fall a cement walk was constructed from the 

 residence of the Professor of Mechanical Engineering in a northwesterly 

 direction to the Delta, and branch walks were built from this to the house 

 occupied by Professor Pettit. 



In the fall permission was secured from the Board of Agriculture to 

 fencie in the "wood lot" and a part of the arboretum adjoining for a deer 

 park. It was enclosed with a Page woven wire fence seven and one 

 half feet high, and a small pond was excavated and water provided from 

 the College system. A pair of young elk and three deer, buck, doe, and 

 fawn, were procured from P.elle Isle park, Detroit, through the kindness 

 of the Detroit Board of Park Commissioners. 



THE WATER GARDEN. 



In the early days of the College there was a small tamarack swamp 

 north of where the Horticultural Laboratory is now located. It was in a 

 depression, and although underdrained, it was frequently filled with 

 water that run in from the lawns, and crops were frecjuently injured in 

 consequence. It was also very frosty and only the more hardy and late 

 vegetables could be grown with success. As a result of this the land was 

 of little value for gardening purposes and it was thought best to utilize 

 it for a water garden. In September, 1898, the muck was scraped out so 

 as to form a lake of about one-half acre. The bottom being hardpan, it 

 holds w-ater with but little loss from seepage, and except for a few weeks 

 during the summer a supply can be maintained from the large drain which 

 crosses the grounds, while the irrigating system can be used if neces- 

 sary. The banks of the lake were arranged in irregular lines and an 

 island w^as constructed in the center to which bridges leading from either 

 side were built. During the past spring, the banks of the lake have been 

 planted with shrubbery, and a large number of sub-tropical and other 

 herbaceous plants have been used. The water is maintained at a depth 

 of from one to two feet and a double line of aquatic plants have been 

 placed along the banks. The species used included many of the more 

 common Ni/niphaeas (Water Lilies), and Nelumbiums (Egyptian or Chinese 

 Lotus), as well as a large number of tender lilies and other aquatics. 



As the water level is not more than two feet below the level of the 

 banks, the soil will be moist throughout the season and the plants should 

 make a luxuiiant growth. 



THE GREEN HOUSES. 



Few changes have been made in the conservatories, except in the heat- 

 ers and in the arrangement of the pipes connecting with the heating coils. 

 When the liouses were first erected all of the pipes were placed beneath 



