The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-11-23

or the Director u t1e Wet virgfnia
Agricultural Experiment Station
The Organization, Policy Of
Board, Progress Of Work
Already Accomplished
and Outline Of Flu.
ture Work.

tutE W VAAs
We are in receipt of the first annual
report of the West Virginia Agricul-
tural Experiment Station, which
gives general statement in a curse
ry, business-like way of the work
that has been accomplished up to
January 29th, of this year, and a
general outline of the policy as for
INFLATED by the Board for the Direc-
tor to carry out.
The Station was organized under
the act of Congress, Familiarity
KIN as the Hatch Act, approved
M 2, 1887, which provides that
the shall be established at and in
connection with the land grant col
leges of the several States depart
ment known as the Agricultural
Experiment Station. The Act es-
tablishing this appropriates annual
ly by the United States Government
$4,000 for conducting scientific ex-
periments in Agriculture and allied
branches of science, with view to
extending knowledge of Agricul-
ture, Horticulture and Veterinary
science. The object of this Law of
Congress was to extend the useful
ness of the Agricultural Colleges Es-
tablished under the Act approved
July End, 1862. The State Legis-
lature of West Virginia years ago
designated the West Va, University
as the Land Grant College, and by
the conditions of the Hatch Act, the
Agricultural Experiment Station be-
comes a Department of this lnstitu-
ton. The appropriation comes to
the State from the General Govern
ment as gift, with no conditions
attached, except that the fund shall
be expended as provided for in the
act, for carrying on scientific inves-
tigation and disseminating among
farmers knowledge of the scientif-
ic facts discovered.
The first steps taken toward the
organization of the Experiment Sta
ton was at the meeting of the Board
of Regents in June 1887, when it was
found that, under the conditions of
the Act, the first annual appropri-
alton would be lost to the State
unless it could be utilized before
the first of July. This appropri
alton was divided by the Board as
follows:
$4,000, as allowed by Law to be
expended in buildings.
$1,000 for equipment of laboratory
$4,000 for the purchase of thirteen
practical libraries of Agriculture,
Horticulture and Veterinary science
to be placed one in each Senatorial
District in the State, in charge of
the local Regent.
$4,000 to be expended for the
purchase of reference library for
the Station, and $4,000 to be expen-
ded for salary of Director, travelling
expenses, expenses of Building Com
mittee and other incidental expenses.
The Director, Prof. Jno, A. Myers,
was appointed, and ordered to pro-
coed, if possible, to save the fund To
the State under the conditions pre-
scribed by the Board
The building constructed under
the direction Of the Building Com
mlttee is now virtually finished and
for completeness of equipment, con-
venience of arrangement, and facili-
ties for carrying on the work for
wi b it is designed, has few, if any
81 ors, in the country.
hs Director then gives list of
books in the local libraries sent to
the respective Regents These are
classified under general heads
of Farm and Garden, Fruits
and Flowers, Cattle, Sheep
and Swine; The Horse and Horse
manship; Poultry and Bees; Insects
and Fish; Architecture and Miscel-
laneous. These libraries contain
as many and as choice a selection of
the works upon the various subjects
as could be secured with the funds
available. These libraries, with the
exception of three, are in the hands
of the respective regents, and the
farmers of the State living in the
districts may secure the benefit of
the libraries by applying to the re-
spective Regents. In the first dis
trict, the library has been placed by
Mr.. Sommerville in charge of the
Clerk of the Circuit Court at Wells
burg, that being the most central
point in his district. Hon. D. G.
Gallaher, Of the ninth district, re-
fused to receive the books, and re-
turned them to the Station, as he
did not agree with the policy adopt
ed by the Board. Mr.. Moreland, in
this district, has placed.the library
at the Station, where it is available
for the farmers of this district, and
can be consulted by them at auy
time at the Station building.
1t is shown by the report that the
Station has full equipment for all
kinds of Agricultural and chemical
work, including complete creamery
outfit, and all the necessary outfits
for the analyses of soils, food stuffs,
dairy products, fertilizers, animal
and vegetable products, for micro
scopic and spectroscopic work and
sugar analysis and for all other kinds
of analytical work bearing upon the
that will be carried On
at the Station. The reference libra
ry consi-ts almost exclusively of
works bearing upon the subjects
which it is expected will occupy
the attention of the scientific
investigators engaged in Station
work, and is not intended to be loan
ed out to the public.
The policy of the Board for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1889 com
the distribution of the
fund largely over the State, and al
low each Regent to expend, in max
ing experiments in Agriculture, Hor-
ticulture and Veterinary science with
in his district, the sum of 5000. Full
reports of the same to be made to the
Director, to be printed and circulat-
ed throughout the State. An earn
est effort was made by the Director
to carry out this provision of the
Board Of Regents and the succeeding
portions of the report consist largely
Of of seed and fruit trees dis
tt ed for experimental purposes.
In -onnection with this, minute in
I