BOTANICAL LABORATORY OF THE MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

WHERE TO GET A BOTANICAL EDUCATION.

We are sometimes asked the question,
"Where can I get a good education in
Botany and kindred sciences?" As the
answer may also be of interest to many
who have not made such inquiry, we

may be pardoned for calling the attention of our readers in general to the superior botanical advantages enjoyed by
the Michigan Agricultural College. This
is a Public Institution, and the oldest
College of this class in the United States,
having been opened for the admission
of students in the year 1857, almost thirty years ago. From the time the college
was founded the science of Botany has
received special attention, and improvements in this line have been added from
time to time until to-day the botanical
department has facilities and advantages
that cannot be enjoyed at any other
American institution of learning. The
botanical laboratory, the most imposing
edifice of the kind in this country, is
shown in the engraving herewith presented, the engraving having been kindly

 loaned us for insertion in the Magazine. The upper part of the building
contains the museum, in which may be
found hundreds of botanical curiosities,
polished specimens of native wood, dried
specimens of grasses and other plants,
and a host of minor things interesting to

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the students of botany. In the lower
part of the building is the lecture room,
containing compound microscopes and
other facilities for the practical study of
structural and physiological botany.
Here also are stored thousands of dried
specimens of flowers and plants, all correctly labeled and systematically arranged.

Besides the museum and herbarium,
there is an arboretum in which are grown
many native vines, shrubs and trees; a
greenhouse full of exotic plants; and a
Botanic garden, containing hundreds of
herbaceous plants, all arranged in their
natural orders, and plainly labeled. The
greenhouse and garden are both near the
Laboratory. The walk shown to the
left of the building passes into the Botanic Garden just a few feet beyond the
steps, and the greenhouse is just beyond
the garden.

A College might, however, have all the
facilities that money could afford, and
yet be inefficient in imparting practical
instruction. A great deal depends upon
the competency of the Professors. But
the Directors of the Michigan Agricultural College have been peculiarly successful in obtaining competent Professors. The Professor of Botany is Dr. W.
J. Beal, who has earned a world-wide
reputation as an efficient instructor, as
well as a practical botanist. The two
lower windows beyond the front entrance
(see engraving) are in the Professor's
study, and here you may see light almost every night till the clock strikes
ten-often later. Enter, and you may
find the Doctor deeply absorbed in some
scientific investigation-before him a
table on which are botanical specimens,
microscopes, and great volumes of botanical literature. He is not too busy,
however, to give you a cordial greeting
and make you feel at home.

The point in which Dr. Beal excels as
an instructor is that of leading his students to observe and think for themselves. He believes in studying nature,
rather than books, and his efforts are
always directed towards developing the
mind of the student by inducing habits
of careful observation. The pocket microscope is a constant companion of every
student studying elementary or systematic botany, while the compound microscope is considered indispensable in physiological botany, and the study of Cryptogams.

Those who have sons to educate should
acquaint themselves with the merits of
this institution. A new college year will
begin in August, and those who wish to
enter can do so at that time. We presume the President of the College, Hon.
Edwin Willits, would be glad to furnish
further information to interested persons. He can be addressed at Agricultural College, Michigan.