Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-11-06
THE STATE AT LARGE.
horticulture at the Agricultural College.

The Professor of Horticulture and Landscape
Gardening has presented preliminary report
10 the president, embracing am outline oil
work the department aims Ia accomplish. This
was made "A separate department To meet the
demand of the fruit growers of the state for an
enlarged instruction In horticultural matters
II l. the purpose of the department 10 work
with the horicuturists Of the state and so far
rs possible To meet their demands IN expert
ment and instruction.
The most notable new feature is "A fruit
garden. which has been set apart for the
double purpose of testing new varieties OF
small fruits and furnishing illustrative labor
TO the students II comprises -four acres Of
variable soils thoroughly drained. Most OF the
fruits were set this year. There are iorty-sey-
en- varities of Strawberries, fifteen of Taspber-
lies, ten of b.ackberrics, ten of currants, five
goosebcrries, two of ounces, ami number oil
newer grapes, pears and cherries. There are
also Russian aprcots, mulberries and various
5, ceilings of promising wild fruits. The care
of the garden is placed entirely in the hands
OF the students under the direct supervision OF
the professor or foreman. If there is in
sufficient work 10 give each student work In
the garden il is given 10 those who especially
desire IL.
The orchards are two in number comprising
apples, forty eight varieties; crabs, five var
iciics; pears, thirty-six varieties, cherries,
eight varieties plums, seven varieties. The
applc orchard has never yielded we'll but has
given good results in the way of experiment
There are two vineyards OF considerable eX-
tent and a smaller one containing some OF the
new varieties There arc growing sixty three
named varieties and number OF hybrids and
scrdlings 4 good crop is expected next year.
Ia one vineyard will be- put up an illustrative
system of tIe!iscs 10 represent To students all
the methods of outdoor training.
The veg liable garden OF seven acres is car
rled on a. marker garden. Special attention
is given 10 the construction and management
of hot beds and cod frames. There is now
being constructed largely by way of expert,
ucnt "a hot bed and forcing house To be heated
by hot air from home made coal furnace.
Ii is the endeavor 10 Illustrate the Lectures
In horticulture and landscape gardening by
actual practice, although IL Is impossible 10
ever fuliylrealiZc the effort
The following is the work of one student,
taken from the work book at random, during
July
Pruning apple trees, wedding onions, NOW
ing with lawn mower, potting strawberries,
shovcling earth, potting Strawberries, cleaning
apple trees, pruning Young wood from vine
yard picking peas moving with lawn mower
cleaning drive cleaning and trimming drive
ditto. ditto, scraping apple trees, raking on
drive ditto, ditto, pruning grape vines, rakins
and trimming drives. ditto.
For students who desire il experiments are
laid out in the garden, orchards and vine
wards. and instructions given in methods oil
manipulation and original investigation. The
professor is also endeavoring to give students
/ in horticulture actual practice IN budding
grating. making LAYERS, cuttings, etc Dur
Inc the cold weather OF early spring indoor
work with root grating and other matter:
so far as accommodations permit will be per
formed.
From the active horticulturists OF the stat,
the department solicits communications anC
suggestions II IS proposed 10 inauguratc s'
many experiments as means will admit for tn,
benefit Of fruit growers and others. Though
the means and appliances are very limited IL
this respect, many experiments are under way
The most prominent AZ present isSnhe testing
of new fruits and vegetables. New varetie
are solicited from the originators. Attempts
are being made to improve the promising wil'
fruits systematic record, the first essen
tial TO successful experiment, has been begun
and records viii be made by competent Oh
servers OF the whole visible biography OF tn
cultivated, from the sowing to maturity.