Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01
much embarrassment for more lucrative

4
and provide means accordingly, California
must follow the lead of more enlightened
and rational States like New York and
Connecticut, instead of leading the van, as.
she might. This state OF affairs is trace
able directly to the apathy of our farmers.
Very few are enterprising enough to make
systematic use of improved methods of cul-
tivation, fertilizing, feeding, etc. They
are too content with swell enough" and
! would rather farm 200 acres in their own
slack and peculiarly exhausting way than
to apply little business tact and sgricult-
ural chemistry to the working of one-half
or one third that amount of land so as to
bring in the same net returns. As long as
the Legislature is foolishly economical, the
| farming class sbiftlessiy content. and our
agricultural papers following tie spirit of
Improvement instead of leading it with
scientific and progressive information, we
may not hope for much improvement in our
Agricultural College.
HOME PRODUCTION.
Millions are annually paid out and lost
for sugar, grain sacks, cotton goods, teas
and coffee, ard other things of general con-
sumption, which may most certainly be
produced inside the boundaries of our own
State, if only scientific experiments and an
educated judgment could point the way TO
a proper location and cultivation. The
State will spend hundreds of thousands for
capital buildings, harbor and river i'm
proyements, and industrial advancement ;
hut when asked for a paltry sum of few
thousands to help in solving for our farm
els, and the State at large, the vital prob
lem of how to save the millions we yearly
spend for commodities which might as well
be raised here In California, the Legislature
answered that the agricultural interests do
not demand it. The next Legislature will
be asked to make an appropriation Of Sl5,,
600 for the use OF our Agricultural College,
and it remains to be seen if The same
"penny wise, pound foolish policy will
prevail in the future as it has done in the
past. Even under these hampering cir.
cumstaLces the work of the agricultural
department has been most valuable. Each
annual report contains much valuable in
formation on culture experiments soils,
alkali and fertilizer analyses value of
different waters for irrigation purposes the
sugar and viticultural industries agricult-
ural practices. etc. Judged from what
has been accomplished under past difficult
ties, we have much reason to infer that our
agricultural department, if freed from
financial endorsements by liberal opposi-
tions from the Legislature, could do much
toward freeing California farmers from the
many difficulties which surround them.
OPEN TO CRITICISM.
Like all similar institutions, our Univer-
sity is not free from defects and, as well
conducted as it is, the agricultural depart.
ment is not above criticism. As has been
already said, the short time given to agri.
cultural chemistry is a source of disappolnt-
ment to the student who wishes scientific
knowledge. 1t is to be hoped that it will
not be long until some change is made
whereby the seniors can have the benefit
of Professor .Hilgard's instruction. The
! present curriculum is most unsatisfactory
!; in that respect. The class is turned over
to the care of the instructor in practical
agriculture at the end of the junior year,
and the student seldom after that
finds the Professor at leisure for
, even an informal conversation on
topics of agricultural Importance. Com
prehensive as it is, the course in practical
agriculture is not tended to fully satisfy the
, senior, nor to give him that scientific
knowledge he has a right to expect. If
, there is a time when the student should
have the instruction of the best talent in
his department it surely is during the
, senior year. do not mean to infer that
the course Of practical agriculture is out of
place but it is disagreeable fact that it
is not fully satisfactory to the student In
, my opinion it is devoted too exclusively to
the merely practical, and in disregard of
the definite scientific basis of the matter,
What we want is entifcally-general
practical information in its relation to the
known facts of chemistry, geology and
physics. The instruction should be from
the successful specialist. The course in
dairying is a step in the right direction.
The lecturer is eminently practically sue
cessful dairyman, skilled both in the theory
and the art. The subject was quite ex-
haustively treated, and left no hankerings
in ones mind after the scientific pres
entation of the subject.
THE SUBJECT OF ENTOMOLOGY
Is well worth more attention. If our in.
structor had the leisure to make it a
speciality and would devote his whole at
tention to it in its relation to the student,
and to the people of the State at large, it
might equal in efficiency the departments
of other instructors of miner
alogy and mathematics. As it is, the
lecturer on practical agriculture has more
on his hands than ne can do well, and the
theory seems to be "get over the matter
the best way that you can it you can't
present the scientific side OF the subject,
leave it out" A good part of the matter
could as well and as easily be got from
books. Why not commend course of
reading, and examine the student in
it at the end of the term, 80 as to be able
to confine the lectures to matters OF scien-
tifc and progressive interest. The real
facts of the case seem to be that the in
structor has too much on his hands, and is
unable to give his subjects the careful
study they require in order to make them
agree with what should be the standard of
University instruction. A course of lect-
ures ON the chemical composition, use and
value of commercial fertilizers the chem
istry and practice of composing and cattle
feeding one on the science and art of vet
Urinary surgery; comparison OF the
chemical composition and relative value of
the different soils of the State; special
lectures on the scientific side of wine and
raisin making and of other topics of pres
ent interest, woaid be of immense practical
value to the agricultural student. The
subject is prolific one, and deserves the
attention of the Faculty and the Regents.
CONCLUSION.
Some may think that the student should
respect his seniors enough not to question
their methods. In my opinion it is no
disrespect to try to show why one is not
fully satisfied and l believe it is batter TO
do this than to obviously shake your head
over the fact that in q few years more the
number of agricultural students of our
University will be practically a negative
quantity, and, out of false delicacy, to at
tribute the cause to almost anything except
the deficiency in the instruction impaired.
It is inconsistent to say, or to try to believe
that we have a perfect University. "Con-
sistency is progressiveness, " and owing to