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l KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY. 67
L} that I acknowledge the receipt of valuable donations of plants
Y and seeds from the Honorable Commissioner of Agriculture at
, \\/ashington City.
' The experiments made in the culture especially ofthe wheat
,   { and hemp seed which were furnished, have been most satisfac-
5 tory, and have illustrated the great value of that Department
l of the Government in the improvement ol the crops of the
l country.
l I have received a valuable collection of plants during the
i past year, from the Superintendent of the Congressional green-
houses.
· Such, gentlemen, is a brief yrsmzzc of the condition of the In-
· stitution during the past year. I am gratihed to state that a
I better and more hopeful feeling has prevailed throughout the
country in regard to its great benevolent aims and objects, and
I believe many prayers are going up over the land for its ulti-
· S. mate success, based, I am sure, upon the faith that there are
philanthropic Christian men connected with it, calm, brave,
and self—sacriticing enough to rise _above all strife and bitter-  
A ness, and still to labor on in harmony and fraternity for its ii
highest good.
But in the history ofthe best men, as well as of Institutions,
pecuniary trials and difficulties sometimes come, which strain
their resources and pvwers of usefulness, yet which may be
_, overcome. This is now the chief shadow resting over the fu-
! ture of the University. As I; have communicated to you in
, , former reports, a large portion of the vested funds are paying
l ' no dividends at present. Over $70,000 are invested in the
_ first mortgage bonds of the Lou., Cin., and Lex. Railroad,
Y ,532,000 of which were placed many years ago by the old .
Transylvania Board, and the remainder more recently, when
p they were regarded as amongst the most solvent securities, and
, were sought by many of the largest capitalists and best hnan-
it ciers of the State. Forty thoisand dollars are invested in Com-
mercial Bank stock, which was purchased previously to the
removal of the University from Harrodsburg, eleven years ago;
some at par and some at a premium. It was regarded as among
the best stocks, and was sought by the Trustees of other char-
i itable institutions, such as the Midway Orphan School and the
 
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