DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 81 



of i^ieces of apparatus, among them a centrifugal apparatus for work 

 in i)lant physiology; a dniug oven, steam sterilizer, still, mimeograph, 

 etc. JMimeographed laboratory directions are now being furnished to 

 the students so that it is not necessary to use the blackboard for this 

 purpose. 



I wish to call attention to the fact that the photographic dark room 

 is entirely too small to be convenient or even give the best results, while 

 it is very uncomfortable on account of its size. At a comparatively 

 small expense, this can be more than doubled in size without interfering 

 with the other rooms. It is hoped that this may be permitted to be 

 done. 



In connection with the class on weeds and weed seeds, this year, 

 I am planning to have a number of sets of 100 more important seeds 

 put up to be used in particular b}' the students taking this course and 

 to be supplied at about cost, to agricultural high schools. Professor 

 Coons, the Plant Pathologist, is also planning to prepare sets illustrat- 

 ing the more typical plant diseases for similar distribution among agri- 

 cultural high schools. It is thought that these two sets will both be 

 of exceptional value. 



In view of the fact that it will only be a year or two before the 

 natural growth of the college will require the fitting up of an addi- 

 tional laboratory room for freshman and sophomore botany and also 

 in consideration of the very crowded condition of the room now occu- 

 pied by the Botanical division of the Exi>eriment Station which has 

 had to overflow into the hall, basement and greenhouse, I feel that it 

 will be advisable to have some competent architect look into the ques- 

 tion of extending the w^alls upward so that the roof in both parts of 

 the building over the attic may be flat as in the Agricultural and 

 Woman's Buildings instead of as it now is. If this is done, the avail- 

 able space in the Botanical Building will be increased by fully 33 per 

 cent. I would then place the Botanical division of the Experiment Sta- 

 tion on the top floor of the new part of the building, giving them the 

 whole floor. This would make the room now occupied by them available 

 for class work, for v.'hich purpose it is even now much needed. It would 

 also make the attic of the old building available for two laboratories. 

 The one laborator}* that is now there cannot be used to advantage on 

 account of the small windows set in deep recesses. The feasibility of 

 this should be determined as soon as possible and plans made so that 

 the matter may be undertaken perhaps a year from now. 



Eespectfully submitted, 



"^EKNST A. BESSEY, 



Professor of Botany. 



East Lansing, June 30, 1912. 

 11 



