1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 283 



The Botanical Museuivi. 

 Besides the recitation room of the professor of horticulture, 

 it contains the Knowlton herbarium, numbering over ten 

 thousand specimens of phmts from nearly all parts of the 

 world ; a large collection of models of fruits and specimens 

 of wood ; and many natural curiosities in tree and plant 

 growth. The students receive instruction in landscape gar- 

 dening, horticulture, and market gardening. 



Anniversary Exercises. 

 The anniversary exercises took place in June, as usual, on 

 which occasion most of your committee were present. AVe 

 attended first the exercises called the Kendall prize speak- 

 ing, on the evening of June 17. 



GrinneU Prizes, 



The senior class in the examination for the GrinneU prizes 

 came under the special supervision of your committee. It 

 may here be stated that Hon. Wm. Claflin of Boston has 

 given the sum of one thousand dollars for the endowment of 

 a fund for a first prize of forty dollars, and a second prize of 

 twenty-five dollars, to be called the GrinneU agricultural 

 prizes, in honor of his friend George B. GrinneU of New 

 York. These prizes are to be paid in cash to the two mem- 

 bers of the graduating class who may pass the best oral and 

 written examination in theoretical and practical agriculture. 



Topics were assigned to each student, by lot, and included 

 such subjects of interest as the resources and wastes of 

 nitrogen ; fruits, and the soils best adapted to their culture ; 

 forestry ; drainage ; the horse ; the dairy cow, etc. The 

 examination was conducted by Professor Brooks and your 

 committee, who by frequent questions, suggested by the 

 recitations, aimed to draw out the students, and to get 

 their idea of the subjects given them. An essay on dairying 

 and the characteristics of the different breeds was read by 

 each member of the class. The subject was assigned by the 

 professor, and the essays were written at short notice, and 

 w^ithout reference to liooks. The students acquitted them- 

 selves with great credit, showing a good degree of familiarity . 

 with the various subjects upon which they were examined. 



