Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 98]

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90

PAPER Q.

To the Trustees of the University of Illinois: G E N T L E M E N — T h e State appropriation of $2,000 for p u r c h a s e of m a c h i n e s a n d tools for t h e m e c h a n i c a l s h o p s h a s b e e n e x p e n d e d a s follows: F o r carpenter shop: B e n c h tools Planer B o r i n g m a c h i n e and counter shaft Dado cutter

,

$144 153 76 18

11 00 50 00

For machine shop: Shaper E n g i n e lathes, Fitchburg, 15 i n c h e s b y 6 feet F l a t h e r , 15 i n c h e s b y 6 feet Gould & E b e r h a r d t , 16 i n c h e s b y 6 feet Freight ". Shafting an d belting Mandel E x h a u s t wheel for blacksmith s h o p H o o d s for forges for blacksmith s h o p L a b o r setting up, etc., all m a c h i n e s

$391 61

1285 290 310 330 $97 139 20 40 63 25 00 00 00 00

1,215 00

56 74 00 00 39 00

385 69 $1,992 30 Respectfully submitted, S. H. PEABODY.

PAPER E.

U N I Y E E S I T Y O F I L L I N O I S , M a r c h 22.1886.

Dr. 8. H. Peabody, Regent: Reference to t h e a c c o u n t s furnished b y t h e B u s i n e s s Agent will show t h e financial condition of t h e Horticultural D e p a r t m e n t for t h e y e a r j u s t closed. Counting the total e x p e n s e s , including salary of foreman, the e x p e n d i t u r e s are considerably m o r e t h a n the income. T h e latter w a s almost wholly from sales from the g r e e n - h o u s e a n d from t h e s t r a w b e r r y beds. S o m e t h i n g w a s secured from t h e n u r s e r y , but n o t h i n g from t h e orchard and vineyard, a n d very little from the plantations of blackberries and r a s p b e r r i e s . T h e severe effects of t h e winter caused most of this loss. T h e experimental o r c h a r d h a s always been an e x p e n s e to t h e department, a s indeed might be a s s u m e d , for out of t h e t h o u s a n d kinds planted it could h a r d l y have been anticipated t h a t more t h a n a score would prove profitable. The d e s t r u c tion all over our p a r t of t h e country during t h e w i n t e r s of 1883-4 a n d 1884-5 of apple t r e e s s u p posed to be hardy, shows w h a t a n ordeal befell t h i s orchard. I t could not be otherwise t h a n in poor condition; but, after all, this test is a beneficial one for t h e experiment. W e m a y now k n o w whether or not t h e r e is a n y t h i n g of promise in the way of e x t r e m e l y h a r d y trees. D u r i n g the s u m m e r of 1886 we h o p e to m a k e u p t h e record of these t r e e s and p r e s e n t t h e results for publication. The.forest plantation also yearly receives m o r e t h a n it r e t u r n s . Nothing, w h a t e v e r , h a s b e e n derived from t h e s e trees in the way of income except for t r e e s to plant. Some of t h e t h i n n i n g h a s b e e n done b y ourselves, without u s e or sale for t h e p a r t cut a w a y ; s o m e h a s been t a k e n for t h e wood. Theoretically this y o u n g stuff h a s been counted of great value for h o o p s , s t a k e s , poles for b e a n s , grapes, fence, etc.; but we have not found t h e t h e o r y to hold g o o d here, Much more u s e could be m a d e of t h e material o n a h o m e farm. W h e n the t r e e s a r e large enough for p o s t s a n d ties r e a d y sale can be h a d for t h o s e suitable for t h e s e purposes, a n d larger timber will always b e valuable. The g r e e n - h o u s e cannot be considered from a purely financial standpoint. A large portion of t h e main room is occupied b y plants expressly for exhibition, to be nfade u s e of b y s t u d e n t s in general as illustration of the vegetation of foreign countries, a n d by t h e classes in botany, agriculture a n d horticulture, especially as aids to their studies. Attention t o visitors c o n s u m e s no small p a r t of the time of t h e attendant. E x p e r i m e n t s in vegetable physiology, n o t otherwise possible, a r e in p r o g r e s s most of t h e time in t h e s e a p a r t m e n t s . If, therefore, we do not receive from sales e n o u g h to meet t h e e x p e n s e s of labor a n d coal, t o g e t h e r with t h e expenditures for r e p a i r s a n d for stock, the, balance is not necessarily a g a i n s t the g r e e n - h o u s e . Counting the plants furnished the g r o u n d s a t t h e average wholesale rates, t o g e t h e r with t h e a m o u n t of sales, t h e p r o c e e d s a r e equal to t h e e x p e n s e s . I t is not possible, however, to strictly divide t h e salary of t h e foreman,'who really does m o s t of t h e work in t h e houses, between t h i s and t h e other subdivisions of the d e p a r t m e n t , so t h a t t h e exact e x p e n s e s c a n be stated. Should a n income permit it n o t h i n g o u g h t to be said against c h a r g i n g t h e full salary of the foreman and total e x p e n s e of g r e e n - h o u s e against t h e Horticultural D e p a r t m e n t , b u t a s t h e case now s t a n d s it does not s e e m to m e unjust t h a t one or t h e other—at least in p a r t should be met from t h e general fund. I n this connection I r e c o m m e n d t h a t t h e salary of Mr. McClure be increased by furnishi n g h i m the h o u s e in which he now lives free of rent. He is i n every w a y w o r t h y of t h i s a d ditional pay.