HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 415 



used the past two seasons. The vines have been carefully pruned 

 and laid down and are in excellent condition to commence our 

 contemplated work with them in the future; this I intend shall 

 consist in trying different methods of pruning, besides testing 

 the many new varieties which are in it. The growth of vines in 

 the older vineyard has been excellent, but the fruit, which was 

 late insetting, did not ripen well on account of the cold season, 

 and the downy mildew will be referred to in detail in my com- 

 plete report. 



GREENHOUSE. 



There has been a new greenhouse erected on the station lands 

 which will probably be sufficient for the work of the station for 

 many years to come, unless it should be considered best to main- 

 tain a conservatory or to greatly enlarge the commercial feature 

 of the department. These houses are well situated and conven- 

 iently and compactly arranged, and are exceedingly well adapted 

 to the business of the department. A more extended description 

 will be found in my report. 



, ARBORETUM. 



I hope the coming season an appropriation will be made for 

 the purchase of desirable material for an arboretum at the station. 

 We have already some material growing in the nursery, suitable 

 for this purpose but it must be largely increased, in order to 

 have it embrace a fair proportion of the desirable trees, shrubs 

 and herbaceous plants which are adapted to the climate of this 

 state. It is very desirable that the work be commenced at once 

 as many of the trees and shrubs must be obtained of small size 

 and will need nursery treatment before being xjlanted out per- 

 manently. Such plantation well and tastefully laid out along 

 permanent drives, with all the plants easily accessible, and each 

 plainly marked with its common and scientific names would 

 prove especially ornamental, and materially aid in the instruc- 

 tion of our pupils, besides being of much interest to visitors. It 

 would also be of much interest in determining the relative value 

 of plants for forestry and ornamental purposes in this state. In 

 the laying out of drives about the farm they should be made of 

 sufficient width to allow of the carrying out of this plan of a 

 border on each side. 



