Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 151]

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143 roads, fences, drainage, etc., e t c , are reviewed. No attempt is made to have the student feel competent to be "his own lawyer;" rather to help him to an intelligent understanding of the laws with which his business makes it probable he will have to do. Eespectfully,

G. E. MORROW,

Professor of Agriculture.

BOTANY.

PROFESSOR THOMAS J. BURRILL, A, M,, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, Ph. D.

March 4, 1886.

S. H. PEABODY, LL. D., Regent; DEAR S I R : During the spring term of 1885 I had classes in Vegetable Physiology and in Landscape Gardening besides students in the senior Natural History Laboratory Work. My work out of doors in the spring time requires several hours daily. Vegetable Physiology is required in the sophomore year in the courses of Agricultural Chemistry and Natural History. Landscape occurs only in the agricultural course, junior year. The special laboratory work is only for the Natural History course, where it occurs in the senior year.

VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY.—This subject is taught by lectures, laboratory experiments and field observations. The shortness of the time devoted to the study, together with the want of much laboratory apparatus, renders it impossible for the students to make very many experiments; but each one is expected to select some subject for practical investigation and to make full notes upon methods and results. Such topics as the following have been taken: The evaporation of water from leaves; the absorption of water by roots; the pressure of sap; the effects of light, white and colored; the effects of heat; germation of seeds; growth of shoots; fertilization of flowers; penetration and direction of growth of roots; movements of climbing vines, tendrils, etc.; plant diseases; artificial culture of fungi. Usually a student gives his whole attention to one subject for such investigation, for it seems to me better that one thing should be thoroughly done than several hurriedly examined. The time, about eight weeks—some time being necessarily taken in introductory work—does not permit of many such undertakings even if the student's whole time were given to them. Eeports are made to the class of some of the results obtained and the full notes are kept for reference.