INDIANA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 319 



season, March 31st, next, there will doubtless have been held 175 or ISO 

 institutes, under State auspices, in addition to quite a number of indepen- 

 dent meetings at points which the Superintendent will be unable to take 

 care of during the present j^ear. 



The above showing, as to number of meetings held, will compare 

 favorably with tliat made by other States. I believe the quality of the 

 work done by the assigned speakers will, also, compare favorably with 

 that the workers in this held in other States. 



The definite purpose of the general management, with reference to 

 supplemental institutes, is to carry them into localities remote from the 

 annual meetings. In order to do this schoolhouses and churches of 

 smaller size, in rural neighborhoods, must be utilized. Under such cir- 

 cumstances large attendance will frequently be out of the question. It 

 is important, however, to reach these outlying points as frequently as 

 possible in order that the benefits of the institute work may be as equita- 

 bly distributed over the State as possible. 



I might add, further, although it does not come within the University 

 year above named, that the conference of institute workers held at the 

 University last month, far exceeded in numbers, interest and character 

 of work done, any preceding conference, and this augurs well for the 

 effectiveness of work during the current season. ^ 



It seems to me that this institute work, reaching as it does all parts 

 of the State, and carrying with it as it does in its investigations and dis- 

 cussions invaluable information on the subject of horticulture as well as 

 agriculture, ought to receive by the members of the Society, ardent sup- 

 port by attendance and in the discussion, whei'ever its sessions are 

 within reasonable distance from their respective homes. 



Work in Horticultural Department, Under the Wise and Intelli- 

 gent Management of Prof. James Troop. 



The work in the Horticultural Department has kept pace with that 

 in the other departments. A year ago last September, Trof. Wm. Stuart 

 was transferred from the Botanical Department, and made Associate 

 Horticulturist of the Experiment Station. The work of the Experiment 

 Station was then divided. Professor Stuart taking the work in vegetable 

 gardening and Professor Troop the worlv in fruit growing. 



Unfortunately for Purdue the trustees of the University of Vermont 

 thouglit they needed Professor Stuart more than we did, and so, at the 

 beginning of last September, he severed his connection with Purdue and 

 accepted the position of Professor of Horticulture in that institution. 

 This leaves the work in this department for the present entirely in the 

 hands of Professor Troop, who, in addition to the work in horticulture 

 of both University and Etxperimeut Station, is also carrying the Ento- 



