Director's Report. 
To the Board of Control of the New York Agricultural Experiment 
Station: , 
GENTLEMEN. —I herewith submit the seventh annual report of 
the Experiment Station for the calendar year 1888. 
Upon the resignation of my predecessor in office, Dr. E. Lewis 
Sturtevant, I was, October 20, 1887, elected as director of the 
Station and entered upon the active discharge of my duties 
December 1. 
Since the purchase of the Station property by the State much 
has become necessary in the way of repairing, but owing to the 
limited appropriation compared with the extent of work upon 
which it was necessary at once to enter, there were not sufficient 
funds with which to make these necessary repairs, and in conse- 
quence very many matters were found demanding immediate 
attention in order to preserve the property from loss. 
These repairs, which have been very extensive, have largely 
occupied my time and attention durinz the past year. As yet 
they are not wholly completed, but little suffers by the delay 
which the close of the season necessitates. 
In brief, the repairs made have been the painting of the house 
without and within, papering and putting in new floors in many of 
the rooms, replacing sills and beams which were decayed, relay- 
ing the flagging and some of the walls, which have been injured by 
action of frost, extending the system of steam radiators to the 
third story, relining and painting the fence, repairing the fountains 
and the drive through the grounds, and in short doing that 
only which was needed to place the property ina proper and safe 
condition. 
Besides the lines of investigation hitherto pursued at the 
Station, it seemed best to take up others which appeared to be of 
*Peter Collier, A. M., M. D., Ph. D. 
