Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1888 [PAGE 158]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION.

161

COLLEGE OF N A T U E A L SCIENCE.

BEPORT

BY THOMAS J. BURRILL, A. M., P H . D., BOTANY AND HORTICULTURE.

PROFESSOR

OF

S. H. PEABODY, LL. D.X Regent: I herewith hand you a concise account of the work done in my departments of the University for the year ending February 29, 1888. As usual the year has been a busy one, and it is believed substantial progress has been made. The most of my time ha& been occupied with class instruction and the routine duties connected with, and inseparable from, the several kinds of official work assigned to me. But something has also been done in original and other investigation, to which nearly all of the summer vacation was given. Special papers, largely based upon these researches, have been written for several State and National associations and. published in their proceedings. Altogether the year has been prosperous and the work done equal to that of any one preceding. Botany.—For entrance to the University, an examination is required upon Gray's "Lessons" or an equivalent, and upon the analysis of common flowering plants. Botany is not taught in the* freshman year; but, beginning with the sophomore year, the students of agriculture, horticulture, natural history and chemistry, as well as those who elect the study from the course in English and modern languages take the science in course. Some students not taking any regular course are admitted to the class. The study (including the physiology of plants) extends through the year with five exercises each week. The first work consists in the study, in the field and laboratory, of plants as species belonging to the more difficult orders of flowering plants, including Composite, Oyperacese, Grammeae and the forest trees. Accompanying lectures are given upon systems of classification, geographical distribution, nomenclature and the economic uses of special groups. This is followed in the, latter half of the term by the study of the microscopic anatomy of plants. For this purpose each student is furnished with a compound microscope, a section cutter and other apparatus, and at least six hours per week^of laboratory work is required, alternating; with lectures or recitations from text-book.