THE BLUE JAY. 425 



the low notes. It has been our privilege to hear this song on 

 three different occasions, but the only description we have ever 

 read of it is given by Dr. Hatch in his "Birds of Minnesota," in 

 the following enthusiastic language : "The notes which fell in 

 showers like dewdrops, almost inaudible, were among the dearest, 

 most delicate, sweet and melodious that ever found their way 

 to human ear. I was in an ecstacy of wonder and surprise, and 

 only sighed in silence that every bird-lover could not share my 

 delight. I forgave him everything I had ever seen, heard or 

 surmised against him, and have never since harbored any but the 

 kindest feelings towards him." 



HORTICULTURE AND FORESTRY AT ST. JOHN'S 

 UNIVERSITY, COLLEGEVILLE, MINNESOTA. 



PROF. SAMUEL B. GREEN, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 



For some years past I have heard occasionally favorable re- 

 ports as to agricultural work that is being done by the fathers at 

 St. John's University, in Collegeville, and I recently had the pleas- 

 ure of spending a day there and looking over the very interesting 

 work in agriculture, which is due largely to the efforts of Father 

 John B. Katzner, and the forestry work, started by Father Adrian 

 Schmitz. This college was established by the order of the St. 

 Benedictine. It was established at St. Cloud in 1857 and was 

 located on its present site in 1866. The location is ideal in many 

 ways, it being on a rather high elevation overlooking a wide ex- 

 tent of picturesque country. Close to the buildings is located St. 

 John's Lake, a very picturesque body of water with steep shores 

 well covered with trees nearly to the water's edge. The improve- 

 ments here must have cost in the vicinity of half a million dollars. 

 The buildings are simple but well made and of good appearance. 

 And it is plain, too, that the authorities in charge of this institu- 

 tion appreciate the beautiful in nature from the delightful loca- 

 tion which they selected for it, and also from the way in which 

 they keep their grounds beautifully decorated with a good collec- 

 tion of ornamental plants. The strong feature here is the school, 

 which is attended by about 250 boys each winter. 



On looking through the orchard I noticed a Red Astrachan that 

 was doing fairly well. The tree was twelve years old and in good 

 condition, having just borne a crop of, perhaps, a bushel of apples. 

 This variety was in much better condition here than, perhaps, any 

 of the Wealthy. Hibernal and similar varieties were loaded with 

 fruit and seemed to be as much at home here as the maple trees 



