Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1869 [PAGE 57]

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bracing as great a variety of soil and climate as possible; said report to be made to the Board at this meeting if practicable, or if otherwise, to the Executive committee at its next meeting. Resolved, That said scheme of Agricultural experiments, when revised, corrected and approved by this Board, or the Executive committee, shall be carried out by the Superintendent of the farm and the Corresponding Secretary under the direction of the Regent, and that the Regent be authorized to draw a warrant, or warrants, not to exceed the sum of $500, to meet such expenses as may be incurred in procuring material for, and carrying out these experiments, unless the Legislature shall, at the next session, make an appropriation for t h a t purpose.

Also the following:

Resolved, That the Executive committee be instructed to provide for a course of Agricultural lectures and discussions, to commence about the 12th of January next and continue two weeks, these discussions to be held at the University and free to all persons—and that the attendance and co-operation of the practical farmers of this State is hereby earnestly solicited to aid in making these discussions successful, both in disseminating their views on the best methods of practical farming and in furnishing facts for a science o f agriculture.

Carried. The Committee on Horticulture reported plans and specifications for improvements of horticultural grounds and experimental planting, which, on motion, were referred to the Finance committee.

To the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Industrial University :

The committee on Horticulture respectfully beg leave to report. Section seven of the Act of Incorporation, among other things, authorizes the Board of Trustees to " establish and provide for the management of said model farms as may be required to teach, in the most thorough manner, such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts." As a part of such model form, and for the more perfect demonstration of t h a t department of agriculture known as horticulture or garden culture, we beg leave to make the following recommendations : The plat hereunto attached as a part of this report, marked A, exhibits the ground plan of the grounds proposed to be occupied, and the schedule shows how they may be planted, and also contains the list of forest trees recommended for trial. N o extended argument is required at this time to prove the need of teaching the cultivators of the soil the importance of forest tree planting, of orcharding, and of other departments of gardening. In regard to the orchard proper, the most important feature that we now recommend, is the procuring and planting of samples of all the improved varieties of fruits for identification and for comparison—a sort of fruit tree museum of varieties, that will be at all times accessible for refexenca