The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-01


being of interest as a partial record OF the
progress Of horticultural Development OF the
State. In order to understand something
about the difficulties under which the work
has had to be carried ON and the progress
that has been made under those very IN.
favorable conditions. II may be well TO
state something about the department Gs
Ii existed when the writer took charge IN
1892.
There were two small rooms In third
story building for offices, class rooms de.
partmeut library, museum and laboratory,
/ both for the professor and one assistant.
| Ihere was no gas water, in the two
rooms for laboratory use. one dozen vol
umts composed about all Of the department
library for horticultural. botanical. entomol-
ogical and mycoloIcal reference. few
worn out plows and small amount OF old
spraying machinery constituted the balance
OF the equipment for the work.
Inc department work then covered the
Following Inns Horticulture botany, en-
tomology' and mycology both for the sta
ton and for the college. found but one
other place in the United States where such
a broad acid of work was attempted to he
covered by one departmcnt-and even there
IL was soon abandoned. Realizing that 1t
was hopeless for any man to try to make
much progress In all three lines Of work,
differing widely in many respects, our irst
enotts were devoted to horticultural In
YeStigntlons and trying to have the depart
ment work divided
Seven years afterward. the subject of en-
! tomo'ogy was separated from the depart
mcnt and distinct department made Of IT,
Also. In 1888, botany was separated and
distinct department made of II, leaving st,i
| the subjects of horticulture and mycoloyy
which he department work was to cover.
I both for the college and for the station.
Tho wisdom Of separating entomology and
botany from the department and making
( tbem distinct departments has never been
inentS claim to be crowded with work and
hive even called for assistance. Much
needed speeiallzation and progress were
made possible. The Federal government
has also placed an agent in the field 20
study the boil weeyl in addition TO the
/ chronological work the State Is having
portance Of this work for the State. The
timc devoted TO teaching purely hortlcul-
tural subjects has been more than doubled.
our efforts were also put forth for neces-
sary euupmept without which 1t was Ut
terly impossible TO do satisfactory teaching
in this new industrial line or carry on sci
degree OF satisfaction Not until the year
| lNol was the department moved into any
agricultural and horticultural building was
then available. This building cont aims he
following rooms; One large horticultural
section room, one Theological lAbornt DRY,
one large propagating room, one cannery
room, one cvaporatng one, one seed and
tool room and one large ofhce room The
department also owns n Joint interest in
Photographic room, museum room and on
lecture room. These rooms are lifted up
/ with modern furniture and scientific mp
puretus, which Were, in many instances, Is
pecinlly designed FOR the department There
is now n good horticultural library belong
ing Ia the department The new cannery IL
the first small csnnery that know OF IN
the state that has been run successfully.
The success OF our eannery here has proved
a wonderful stimulus to the development
of the canning industry In this State.
AT tho close OF the wear 1901 the depart
horticultural teaching In plant propagat,ag
and plnnt forcing, as well as for expert
mental use. The need Of such a building
had been sadly felt for years.
While the number OF students that have
graduated In the department have not been
as many rs graduated In the other depart.
have been taught and better equipment
! listed still the number VIII compare favora-
| bly, with the number graduating IN the same
/ industrial line in any other similar college
| In the South The interest in the work
shown during the past year with our new
eaunment has been q marked Improve,
| course has been increased SEQ per cent.
| The value of the Increased equipment for
! beneficial enocts successfully denied BY
! having This new equipment the department.
/ was enabled to give short winter course
| In horticulture during last winter also to
| adopt the system Of optional courses,
STATION WORK IN HoRrICULTURE.
Besides various articles written for the
press bulletins and for the agricultural
press OF the State various addresses made
at farmers institutes and horticultural
meet,1ss, the following is list of bulle.
tins published by the horticultural depart.
ment giving results Of Investigations car
ried on by the department.
No. 23-"Black Rot OF the Grape
| No, 2S-"Sweet Potatoes
No, 3l--"Insects Injurious TO Stored
Grain"
No, a2-"ysrietes. Of plums. Apricots and
10. g .",,ySSsettables and Insecticides"
No, 4e-"The Irish Potato"
No, 54-''rhe Irish Potato" second re-
port.
No, 5S-"Pruning and Training Peach Or
No. 62-"The Fig"
The assistance rendered In getting ont
these hHlletlns Is given full credit for In
I the bulletins. Several Of the bulletins are
written in the form Of monographs thgs
on the subjects treated, The hortlcuiturst
also published n book on the sweet potato,
! which Is the most complete work upon tho
subject in any language.
RESULTS OF THE WORK.
Nine years ago, when results Of investi-
cations with vegetables drst began 20 he
published by the department, severe criu-
cisn wac made because vegetables were
thought too small thing 20 engage the rt-
tcntion OF State official. Texas was I'M
porting many Of her vegetables from other
States then. Cotton. corn and stock took
the farmers attention. Large ranches and
cotton farms we're thought far more valua-
BILE than truck farms How conditions are
changing today There are two subexperl-