Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-09-08

The University-l.etter from Presl
dent Battle.
UNIVERSITY OF NoRTH CAROLINA, !
Chapel Hill, Aug. 81, 1876.
Editor Of the Journal:
DEAR SIR-The kindly spirit and
enligh ened views shown by 'Agri.
cola in a late issue of your paper
seem to call for an answer.
[ think the Trustees agree witt
"Agricola" in the opinion that ag.i-
cultural experiments would be best
conducted by one experienced in
Southern crops, Southern climate
and Southern soils.
But the act of Congress requires ths
University to teach ''such branches Of
learning as are related to agriculture
and the mechanic arts, without exclud-
ing other classical and scientific studies,
i'll order to promote the liberal and
practical education of the industrial
classes aud the several pursuits and
professions of life." [ quote from the
! act.
| In order to comply with the above
requirements, the University must
teach among other things zoology,
botany, geology, mineralogy, grouped
under the general term, natural his
tory.
The University had good Professors
and facilities for teaching other
''branches related to agriculture and
the mechanic arts, such as chemistry.
both general and applied, physics,
ture, French and German, besides the
classical studies which We are forbid
den to exclude, but we had no profess
sor of natural history.
The colleges of the northwest have
paid particular attention to this de-
partment. There is an enthusiasm
and dash about them which leads to
great success. One OF the profes-
sors made extensive enquiries
during a recent tour North for such a
man as we need and he was generally
told that we must go to that great re-
glon, that there we would most Ger.
talnly find the proper combination of
theoretical and practical powers in this
direction. The Executive Committee
of the Trustees and the Faculty think
they have such man in Professor
W. FL. Smith, late of the Uni
versity-o Michigan, who is proved
to them to be an expert in those scien-
cas and successful teacher. He was
besides raised on farm and has stud
led and practiced the application of
chemistry to agriculture.
Imust caution "Agricola" and the
friends of the University in regard to
one thing We cannot at once carry
on large farm. To do that would re-
quire much more money that we can |
afford, Whatever the University does |
in this line must be done IN the best |
style. Its barns, horses, cattle, agri- |
cultural implements, &C., should be |
models.
We have not yet money to buy these |
things on large scale. We Will how
ever aralyze soils and fertilizers and
we will try experiments in agriculture
carefully and literally not only with the
chief southern crops but with plants
new to us. We will invite intelligent
with Us to experiment under our di
rections and report to us. We will
publish all results.
Next week [ go North to visit tne
principal industrial colleges. After
learning what they are doing [ will be
better able to give direction to this
ranch of the University. Until the
trustees shall appoint man to have
special charge of this practical work,
[ will, with the assistance of my col
leagues, carry it on. We will do the
best possible with our means. If the
people will give us more money we
will do better still.
Thanking "Agricola'' and thous-
and other friends for their good will
and "God speed" Very truly,
KEMP p. BATTLE.