The Portland daily press., 1875-01-27
The Agricultural Report.


creasing bulk and cost of the report ofthe State
Board of Agriculture brings to mind plan pro-
posed some years ago to effect in more eco
nomical and practical manner the object for
which the Board was created. at the session
Of the Board in 1866 as appears by the report
of that year committee submitted, by its
chairman, Secretary Goodale, detailed report
on the following topic, previously assigned,
viz: ''To consider the practicability and ex-
pediency of transferring to the Agricultural
College, whenever the same shall go into
effective operation, the labors and duties of
the Board of Agriculture" After prelimin-
ary remarks respecting the liberal policy Of
the state in establishing instrumentalities for
the advancement of Agriculture and showing
the substantial identity of the objects of the
Board and the college, both aiming at the
acquisition and diffusion of knowledge, he
goes on to say.
The farm upon which the college is located
is to be the theatre of careful Investigations
1t is expressly provided for by the act OF Con-
gress, that an annual report shall issue there
from regarding the progress of the college,
recording the results of the experiments
and Investigations made, and such other mat
teIs including statistics as may be deemed use
full. Having clearly in view the above named
facts and prospects, we are better prepared 10
approach the questions embraced in our topic
Is it practicable and is it expedent to transfer
to the Agricultural College the labors and dn'
ties of this Board? or, more properly, Wat n De
practicable and expedient? These are ques
tions of such importance as to demand serious
and careful thought and investigation. We
Of fO n upO n This time than
to invite attention to this subject. As members
of a Board representing the agricultural inter-
ests of the state, our desire is simply thas the
greatest good to the cause be effected with the
least expenditure. We have no desire for place
other than as it may afford means OF greater
usefulness There is no occasion for hasty ac,
ton now,- and if its consideration be entered
upon in season, there can be no excuse for has
ty action hereafter.
! AS the result of such thought as we have
been able to bestow on the subject, we may re-
mark that there does seem to be poSsiolliy
that by adding to the means of the college an
amount equal to the expense attending the op'
erations of the Board, more might be accom-
plished by some persons connected Wild the
college whose requirements and training nave
specially fitted them for the work, and whose
time is given to such labors continuously
through the year. and year after year. than can
be expected of members of the Board as IL ls
now constituted -
it) that the report to be issued from the college
might be made such as worthily TO supersede
the. report now annually issued from the
Board, that it might be circulated to an equai
extent and with as good result among the
farmers OF the state; and that, generally the
concentration of means and efforts might ac-
complish more valuable results than can be ex-
pected by laboriDg separately. Whle we
would deem it palpably unwise to decide these
questions in advance of the further develop
A. llorx o,aA ha ca1Q
persons to be charged with its more active op-
erations, we commend the consideration OF the
topic to all who feel interested in the advance
ment of agriculture among us. ...- 81
The college is now in full and successful
operation and it is certainly very timely
subject of legislative consideration whether
the cause of agricultural knowledge will not
be better served by a concentration of effort
than by its division into several agencies as
at present. Would not the amount of money
which the Board annually costs, added to the
present resources OF the college. produce a
report which would be of very much greater
value than the present bulky volume which
certainly contains much matter Of little con-
sequence? There should be no abatement
In the encouragement extended to the farm
ing interest of the state, an inter
est which directly concerns very
large majority of our citizens and in which
an intelligent use of all the means attainable
is necessary to counteract the natural disad-
vantages under which our farmers labor.
The only question is whether or not the de-
sired results cannot be reached in more
practical, useful and economical manner by
simplifcation and concentration than by the
present somewhat cumbrous machinery.