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HORTICULTURE 



May 10, 1913 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL 

 COLLEGE GROUNDS. 

 The practical advantages and the 

 natural beauty of the site occupied by 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege have been recognized by every- 

 one from the first foundation of the 

 institution in Amherst. While the soil 

 is fertile and unusually well adapted 

 to farming, it is also rolling and diver- 

 sified, giving good opportunities for 

 growing a wide range of crops. More- 

 over, the beauty of the situation has 

 always made it seem most appropriate 

 as a site for college buildings and as 

 an environment for the college life. 

 Many generations of graduates now 

 testify to the inspiring influences of 

 these surroundings. Amherst, in fact, 

 enjoys more than a local reputation 

 for the beauty of its scenery, being 

 widely accepted as a type of what is 

 best in the rolling fertile homely land- 

 scape of New England. 



The value of this environment, and 

 the importance of its wise develop- 

 ment was recognized at the outset, and 

 the late Frederick Law Olmsted, the 

 most eminent landscape gardener of 

 his day, was brought to Amherst in 

 1866 to advise upon the location of 

 buildings and the planning of the cam- 

 pus. Afterward much was done to 

 beautify the campus, especially by 

 the planting of trees and shrubs and 

 the opening of large lawns. Prom the 

 start the grounds took on an air of 

 breadth and openness which is still 

 their chief character and charm. 



When the Agricultural College, a 

 few years ago, entered on its period 

 of great expansion, it was seen that a 

 re-study of the situation was impera- 

 tively needed to provide for the proper 

 location and harmonious arrangement 

 of new buildings, to provide also for 

 the rapidly growing college population 

 and for their enormously multiplying 

 activities, and to provide most of all 

 for the conservatism of the beauty of 

 the grounds in all their charm and in- 

 fluence. A commission was authorized 

 by the trustees which took the matter 

 In charge, and which has now for sev- 

 eral years directed the formation of 

 new plans to meet the new conditions. 

 Various studies, some partial and some 

 comprehensive, were made by Profes- 

 sor P. A. Waugh of the Department of 

 Landscape Gardening in the college. 

 Several architects and engineers were 

 consulted. Finally Warren H. Man- 

 ning of Boston was retained by the 

 trustees, and has now been engaged 

 for a period of more than four years 

 In the preparation of plans and in the 

 practical development of detailed im- 

 provements upon the grounds. In this 

 work he has enjoyed the constant co- 

 operation of the Commission of 

 Grounds and of the College Depart- 

 ment of Landscape Gardening. 



Mr. Manning is everywhere? acknowl- 

 edged to be artistically one of the best 

 representatives now living of the 01m- 

 stedian style of landscape gardening— 

 a style which may easily be accepted 

 as the one best adapated to the charac- 

 ter of the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 College Estate. Furthermore. Mr. Man- 

 ning has already feeen engaged as 

 principal designer or advisory counsel 

 In the planning of a large number of 

 college grounds in all parts of the 

 country. He has also shown a special 

 Interest in the public problems of 



Massachusetts, the development of her 

 public parks, reservations, road sys- 

 tems, and state institutions generally. 

 Recently, Mr. Manning has submitted 

 to the trustees a general plan for the 

 college estate which has been adopted 

 as the working plan of the college. 

 Mr. Manning has also been retained as 

 landscape designer and advisor, work- 

 ing in connection with the College De- 

 partment of Landscape Gardening, to 

 carry the new plans forward. 



The first feature of the new plan is 

 its provision for an orderly grouping 

 of the college buildings — a matter of 

 the most fundamental importance, and 

 yet one sadly neglected in many pub- 

 lic institutions. The buildings used by 

 the various agricultural departments 

 Will be placed in a group on the west 

 side of the campus, those used by the 

 horticultural departments will supply 

 the proper antiphony on the east side 

 of the campus, buildings like dormi- 

 tories and dining hall, devoted to the 

 domestic and social life of the stud- 

 ents will be grouped at the southwest 

 side of the campus, and the other 

 buildings are similarly classified and 

 grouped. 



The plans provide for keeping the 

 central portions of the campus for- 

 ever open. The pond is to be pre- 

 served and eventually extended. Most 

 of the present trees are to be kept, 

 with only so much pruning and cut- 

 ting as may be necessary to the health 

 of the trees and the opening of at- 

 tractive vistas. Other plantings will 

 be made in support of the present 

 groupings. Some new service roads 

 are projected, and a belt of pleasure 

 boulevard is suggested against the 

 possible seeds of a remote future. It 

 has been the policy in making this 

 plan to foresee and provide for all the 

 possible growth of the college in the 

 next fifty years. 



The new plan is already in opera- 

 tion; that ie. all current improve- 

 ments are being carried out in accord- 

 ance with it. The most important of 

 these thus far have been the location 

 of the new entomology, live stock and 

 dairy buildings and the construction 

 of new walks. Other equally impor- 

 tant improvements are fully planned 

 in detail and await only the necessary 

 appropriations by the legislature. 



Fortunately, Mr. Manning's services 

 have not been confined to one plan, 

 with the expectation that his activi- 

 ties shall end there. It is understood 

 that he is to become a permanent 

 member of the college staff, acting as 

 professional advisor to the trustees in 

 the further development of the college 

 estate, and co-operating also with the 

 other members of the Landscape Gar- 

 dening Department both in working 

 out the necessary detailed plans of the 

 grounds and in developing the highest 

 possible standard of professional in- 

 struction for the students in that de- 

 partment. 



With such a splendid campus on 

 which to work, with such well-matured 

 plans, with such competent profes- 

 sional oversight, and with a well- 

 organized Department of Landscape 

 Gardening, constantly engaged in the 

 development of the plans, the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College may 

 fairly expect to have a physical plant 

 which is not only highly adapted to 

 its multifarious business but which Is 

 also "a thing of beauty and a joy 

 forever." 



PRIMULA MALACOIDES. 

 By early sowing this charming sub- 

 ject can be flowere-l for Christmas but 

 by far the best results are obtained 

 by Jate sowing and having the plants 

 at their best around Easter. 



With a little care and forethought 

 P. malacoldes is very easy to grow. 

 In order to have plants for next 

 Easter seeds may be sown during the 

 latter part of May. A light sandy 

 soil is the best medium in which to 

 sow. Give the pan or flats, whatever 

 are used, ample drainage in the form 

 of crocks and coarse soil, so as to 

 prevent the seed bed becoming sour. 

 Place in a temperature of 60 degrees, 

 cover with glass and a sheet of news- 

 paper until germination takes place. 

 The covering should then be removed, 

 but care should be taken to protect 

 the young seedlings from bright sun- 

 light for a few days. When large 

 enough to handle they should be 

 pricked out into flats, using a compost 

 of two parts loam, one part leaf soil 

 and sand. Place in a cool house and 

 shade for a day or two until the roots 

 get active when they should be given 

 all the light possible. 



A cool house is indispensable for this 

 plant, a night temperature of 40 to 45 

 degrees suiting it better than 48 de- 

 grees. The writer well remembers 

 being pushcl for room, and after pot- 

 ting some of these plants into 2ys,- 

 inch. placed them on a shelf in 

 a Killarney house. Their resentment 

 of this treatment was, however, soon 

 apparent by the yellow cast and 

 wilted condition of the leaves. 



As soon as the plants are large 

 enough for 214-inch, pot them off, and 

 continue to not them on as they fill 

 the pots with roots. For these later 

 shifts a compost similar to that used 

 for pricking them off into may be 

 used with the addition of some well- 

 rotted or pulverized sheep or cattle 

 manure. The writer has used the lat- 

 ter with excellent results. 



About the end of November the 

 flower spikes will begin to show. If 

 first quality plants are required, feed- 

 ing should be commenced now and 

 continued right along, for being a ro- 

 bust grower this primula will stand 

 twice as much as other members of 

 its family in the way of stimulants. 

 Liquid manure is the best all-around 

 fertilizer. This with an occasional 

 dose of clear soot water, and an ap- 

 plication of evergreen manure, will 

 produce plants carrying spikes with 

 five and six whorls of flowers. 



Some disappointment has been ex- 

 pressed that this primula damps off 

 so easily. The remedy for this lies 

 to a great extent with the grower. 

 For one thing the plants may have 

 been sown too early. Careless water- 

 ing, too, is the cause of many a fail- 

 ure. Never spray overhead and water 

 so as to avoid wetting the crown of the 

 plants for damping oif is invariably 

 the result of this. Going over the 

 plants every week or so and picking 

 off any decaying foliage and moving 

 the pots around so as to provide a free 

 circulation of air will do much to mit- 

 igate the damping off problem. 



By following the foregoing sugges- 

 tions plants which are things of 

 beauty can be produced. 



Henry Gibson. 

 Staatsburg, N. T. 



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