190 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pul). Doc. 



Horticultural Department. 



In making our report of the condition of the horticultural 

 department of the college, we are pleased to observe that on 

 the whole this department is in better condition than ever 

 before. That portion of the Clark estate north of the reser- 

 voir has been fitted for a commercial orchard by ploughing 

 under a heavy crop of rye in June, a crop of oats and peas 

 in August, and a crop of barley and peas now lies on the 

 ground, which will prevent washing during the winter, and 

 will be turned under next spring. A young orchard of the 

 most important new varieties of the apple, pear, peach, plum 

 and cherry was set out in April, 1897, and made a good 

 growth. All new varieties of both large and small fruits, as 

 well as ornamental trees, shrubs and plants of very decided 

 promise, have been procured and planted in the experimental 

 plots and on the college grounds. 



A collection of seedling grape vines originated on the 

 grounds show much promise in vigor of growth, but have 

 not fruited sufficiently to show their quality or time of ripen- 

 ing. A collection of seedling raspberries from choice seed 

 of the hybrid purple-cap "Shaifer" show a great many 

 types, from the black cap through to the vigorous red rasp- 

 berry. A large collection of seedling red currants are of 

 much interest, and some five hundred strawberry plants have 

 been tested for two years, and many of them compare favor- 

 ably with many of the new kinds, but further trial is needed 

 to prove if any of them have merits superior to the named 

 varieties. The new species and varieties of raspberries from 

 the Pacific coast and other countries, the Loganberry, may- 

 berry, salmon-berry, strawberry, raspberry, muskberry and 

 wineberry have been planted, and some fruit may be expected 

 the coming season. 



The collection of ornamental trees and shrubs, probably 

 the best connected with any agricultural college in the coun- 

 try, is being increased each year. They are planted on the 

 plan that the entire grounds should be more or less decorated ; 

 and a very small sum expended for this purpose each year 

 will soon result in a beautiful and useful park, with speci- 

 mens of all the choice deciduous and evergreen trees and 



