Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01

sonal instruction in the matter, and in his
resources to agricultural chemistries, and
other scientific books he is more often
dazed by the obscurity of the writer, and
the almost contradictory state of much
that he reads, than encouraged to future
study by the benefits derived.
PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE.
The course of agricultural chemistry Is
finished during the junior year, and the
senior year is devoted to instruction in
practical agriculture. The frat term is
taken up with lectures on stock and stock
breeding, dairying, and in beginning the
study of entomology. The course in dairy.
Ing consists of twelve lectures, delivered
by E. ]. Wickson, present editor of the
Pacific Rural Press, and formerly Presi-
dent of the Dairymens Board OF Trade,
New York. From the Importance attached
to dairyihg in this State this course of
lectures is particularly acceptable, and
they are peculiarly valuable from the fact
that they are delivered by one thoroughly
acquainted, both with the theory and the
successful practice of the subject of which he
treats. The course in entomology is as yet
only in its infancy, but it is destined to be
of the greatest value to the State at large,
and aericulturists in particular. The re-
cent and costly ravages of the cooling moth,
scale insects, and pbylloxera in many parts
Of the State, aud the ever-increasing danger
from insect pests, have opened the eyes Of
fruit-growers and dealers to the importance
and vital necessity of being able to fight
them from a scientific and enlightened
standpoint.
C. II. Dwinelle, the instructor in en-.
tomology as well as in practical agri-
culture, is President of the State Board of
horticultural Commissioners, and has every
facility for making the course In entomology
Of the greatest practical and immediate value.
As in the case of botany, the lectures are
supplemented by hand specimens, and to q
limited extent by the study of the insects
in the field. With the increasing impor-
lance of dairying and systematic stock
breeding in California the first terms
course Of study becomes of much practical
value to the student The lectures are
supplemented by the study of the latest
and best literature on the subjects. The
scope of the course is on the whole most
comprehensive one, and it lies in the power
of the student to make it valuable one.
THE COURSE OF STUDY
For the second term includes culture, farm
Implements and machinery, practice of irri-
cation and drainage, general field crops,
etc. Until very recently the subjects of
| irrigation and drainage have attracted but
little attention. Even now, in the matter
of improved and scientific drainage, the
| farmers of California are very far behind
| the agriculturists of Europe and the East
ern States. Until men get over this craze
for SO big farming" we can expect to gee
but little real improvement In irrigation
and systematic drainage. For yield OF
fifteen OF twenty bushels of grain per acre
cannot warrant the expense necessary to
| institute a system of tile drainage. 1t is
caiy when less land is cultivated with the
same capital, and more improved methods
are employed, that the full bene-
fits will be secured from drainage
and irrigation. The benefits accruing from
proper drainage are, in the mind of the
| welliuformed farmer more than common.
surate with the cost of a good system OF
drains. The mechanical improvement Of
the soil by proper drainage is very great,
but the chemical effects upon the nu.
tritive matters Of the soil are still greater.
| The benefits OF irrigation are sufficiently
apparent, even to the most Ignorant, to
i make it needless to advocate its efficiency.
! Yet .here is much TO be learned in the way
of the best methods of, and proper time fol-
drainage, and in the effects and importance
of the chemical and mechanical composition
of the water ueed, both in its relation to
the particular growing crop, and to the per.
manent qualities of the land. The import.
ance of the other subjects treated Of are
sufficiently apparent so as to need no fur.
ther mention. Altogether the course OF
practical agriculture embraces the study Of
subjects Of the greatest Importance to the
general and special agriculturist, and with
out which no man could claim to be even
fairly educated on agricultural matters.
CHEMICAL LABORATORIES.
One of the things of the greatest value
to the agricultural student is the drill in,
and use of, the chemical laboratories
qualitative and quantitative. Work be.
gins in the use of the laboratory in the
sophomore year, and may be continued MP
to the end of the senior year; and as q
general thing the student takes some sub.
ject for thesis requiring chemical analy'
sis and experimentation. With average
application any student may become good
| general analytical chemist and even pro
| ficient in special branches. He may also
take advantage Of short course In blow
pine ANALYSIS In connection with the wet
analysis of the chemical laboratory. On
the whole, one can hardly leave the labora-
tories without being fitted to take up at
any time the study and practice of chem
ical ANALYSIS with ease. Before the end of
the course the student has had opportunity
to make analyses of minerals and chem
icals of agricultural Importance, fertilizers,
soils, waters, agricultural products, etc.
But the greatest of all benefits is that the
course fits one to thoroughly understand
and profit by the scientific work constantly
| being carried on at the laboratories and
experimental gardens of the different uni.
versities and experiment stations, both IN
this country, in England and on the CONT
nent Besides this, the help and benefit
| derived from the use of, and famlliariza-
ton with the chemicals and apparatus Is
ipcalculable, both in the courses OF chem
istry, physics, .mineralogy and in the after
| life OF the student.
AGRICULTURAL LABORATORY.
In speaking of the work of the Agricult-
ural College, we must include that done in
the agricultural laboratory under the direct
supervision of the Professor of Agriculture.
To our misfortune this work has been COM
PEELED to stand to California, instead of .
well-endowed and Systematically organized
Experiment Station. New York has Just
endowed an Experiment Station with Sl5,-
600 Der year Connecticut has for some
years voted Sc 600 and $4,000 per year to
support her excellent station; and the
Board now asks for S25, 900 to enlarge the
facilities of the station, and an increased
annual appropriation to sustain it. Massa-
chusetts and other enterprising and en-.
lightened States have followed the good
example of New York and Connecticut,
and the benefits derived from these stations
are everywhere recognized by all classes,
and they meet the approval of business
men as well as of scientists