Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-24
TIE STATES FARM.
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF
THE UNIVERSITY.
The Experiment Station-AnaIysls OF
Soils and Waters-Vittcult-
ural LaboratOry-Btc-

your suggestion that succinct statement
of methods and results OF the work of the
agricultural department of the University
would be of interest to your readers, give
a brief account of what has been done and
is being done at the present time.
1t is needless to repeat and discuss here
the oft-told talo of the slight attendance OF
students at this as well as at other agri-
cultural colleges where no provision Is
made for preparatory education of the
high-school grade, bat only for what may
be called the professional studies. Nor
will discuss the wisdom Of the State law
forbidding this expedient for filling the
halls of the University. That can hardly
be Questioned in liz bearing upon other
professions than that Of the farmer. Deal
ing with facts as they are, and with the
common saying that farming can only be
learned on the farm" (which is true
enough with certain essential liinitatious)
on the one hand, and the singularly mis-
taken idea that anybody can be a farmer
on the other, we find that but few young
men come 70 US for the wider instruction
in the fundamentals of agriculture that in
older countries forms the leaders of pro-
gress, viz the
PROFESSIONAL AGRICULTURAL E8PERTs.
The demand for the latter class is as vet
very limited in this new country, where
the unexhausted soil yields to Indifferent
culture results nearly as good, under ordi-
nary circumstances, as could be attained by
the more rational and elaborate methods
practiced in older communities and so
long as this state Of things lasts, I doubt
that the number of agricultural students on
our rolls will be large under any organiza-
ton whatsoever. II will be otherwise
when the shoe shall begin to pinch, after
the first flush OF fertility is exhausted and
the best proof of this is the great and rap
idly increasing demand for information on
all imaginable topics connected with agri-
calture, that taxes to the utmost the work
ing powers Of our laboratories, as well as OF
the brains that have 70 consider, elaborate
and answer the
NUMEROUS AND MULuFARIOUa QUESTIONS
Thus coming before them. A similar ex-
perience in ether States having prepared
me for this state of things, l determined,
soon after taking charge OF the agricultural
department of the University, TO address
my work directly to the parents of the sons
who fail to attend the agricultural course
of instruction; and thus has arisen the
cupie5 the greater part OF the time Of myself
and assistants. 1t should, however. be
clearly understood that not only is instruc-
ton in agriculture and the branches of
knowledge related thereto" provided for
aad actually in progress on behalf of those
who do attend, but also admission to such
courses is not conditioned upon the require
ments of admission for regular students"
who desire to graduate, but are open to all
whose knowledge enables TO pursue them
with profit and that special courses on
subjects such as dairving, yiticIltQre, wine
making, ETC. Ineligible to any one havir &
fair education, are given whenever a
class for such study can be found.
THE ExPERIEE EMIT STATION WORK
Was originally based upon = plan for an
agricultural survey OF the State That, 50
far as concerns field worll-actpal travel for
the examination OF the agricultural lands
and other resources-has been realized only
for short time, under the auspices Of the
tenth census. The outcome of this oppor-
tunity was the Report on the Physical
and Agricultural Features of California"
which forms a part of Vol. VI of the
Tenth Census Reports, and of which a spa-
cial edition has been circulated in the State
BY Dewey & Co, of San Francisco, as well
as through 4 separate Government reprint
outside of the State It contains the first
attempt of an agricultural map of the State,
showing approximately the areas occupied
by the several general classes of lands; but
Its closer elaboration into detail is greatly
needed, and data for that purpose IRE con
stantly being collected and entered These
are mostly obtained through reports accom-
panying samples of soils sent Tor examina-
tlon, or analysis, as the case may be. Such
examinations form q considerable proper
ton OF the work III the general agricultural
laboratory.
THIS COLLECTION OF SOILS
Thus gradually accumulated. and repre-
senting localities widely scattered over
the State, now embraces q thousand
which are arranged under
the heads of the counties from
which they come. Up to this date,
about 100 complete soil analyses, and q
large number Of partial ones, have been
mads and the results reported but the
rapidity with which these somewhat labor
ious examinations can be- made is far be-
hind the demand for them, so that the
docket is generally full for several months
in advance. 1t is always required of those
applying for them, that full information
regarding the lands concerned shall be
given, SO az to render the re-
suits of public and not merely Of
private interest, and this is the more ne
cessary as soil analysis cannot, like the
assay of an ore, convey definite indica-
ton of the valno.of the land, unless other
prevailing conditions are also taken into
account Printed directions for giving this
class of Information are forwarded to all
VINO desire it.
EXAMINATIONS OF WATERS.
h. 10, To- 4
next to that regarding soils, is in relation
to waters, whether for irrigation or domes-
tic use, the presence of alkali in certain
paris of the State rendering this question
of no mean Importance to settlers and in
vestorS, especially in connection with the
kind and amount of alkali already present
in the soils. In some cases it is thus shown
that the water of an arteSian well will
sensibly neutralize and render innocuous
the slkali of the soil In other cases las in
that of Tulare Lake,, it is shown that the
use of Such water would inevitably result
in the ruin OF the soil. AS regards pot
ahle waters, it has but too often been shown
by the examination that those used in GER
tain regions were unit for daily use, and
were the cause of reputed unheal.hiness of
che locality In many cases simple meth
DDS for correcting the quality of waters for
of water examinations has OF late consider
ably exceeded that of soil analysis.
REDEMPTION OF ALKALI LANDS, ETC,
The study of the alllali soils of the State
has led to an understanding of the means
by which they may be rendered cultivata-
BILE, or BY which the usually observed in
crease or rise of the alkali" may be pre-
vented or diminished. 1t has also been
shown that, when these precautions are
observed, great many of these soils NAV
take their place among the most produc-
tive of the State. 1t may safely DO said
that nowhere has the alkali problem been
so fully studied as in California, although
the attention of the Government OF India
has long and peremptorily been drawn to
1t by the lamentable results of overirriga-
ton in the northwest provinces of that
country. The reports Of the Indian Com
missions on this subject, lately received,
contain so much that should be timely
warning to California irrigators that l think
the publication of oopious extracts there
from will he q nDhlic heneit