Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-23
AN EXPERIMENT STATION.
An Important Letter from Prof. Hill
gard, of Berkeley,

DR.. j. D. H. Browne, of Pomona, re-
Gently received letter from E. H. Hill
gard, of the state university, with re-
gard to an agricultural experiment sta
ton to be established in this county.
The letter was read to the board of di-
rectors of the chamber of commerce yes
terday, and action was taken to assist in
carrying out Prof. Hilgard's suggestion.
The letter is as follows:
BERKELEY, Cal, May II, 1890.
John ID. H. BroWne, Esq.,, Secretary
Pomona Board Of Trade, Pomona, Cal:
DEAR SIR-In response to yours of
May 9th, regarding the establishment of
an agricultural experiment station in
your region, / state, first, that it is pre-
cisely in accordance with my former un-
derstanding with Mr.. H. A. Palmer that
| have lately opened the subject with
Mr.. Gird, knowing that Mr.. Palmer was
absent, and that Mr.. Gird was a party
to some understanding concerning the
possible location and equipment of
station near Pomona or Ontario.
The reason for my bringing the matter
forward somewhat pressingly at this
time is that the time for making up the
budget for the financial year beginning
July |, 1890, is at hand. A year ago |
introduced into that budget reserve
fund for the establishment of a southern
station, enough for the preliminary
work of the first year, and obtained the
consent of the board of regents thereto.
AS nothing was done toward giving the
matter tangible shape, | had to request
the board, some time ago, to permit me
to divert this fund to the better equip
ment of the existing stations, so as to
relieve the budget of succeeding years.
This was done; and now the question
arises whether a similar reservation can,
with good cause, be made for the coming
year. 1t can hardly be expected that
this should be done unless some definite
steps are taken by the people of your
region toward the actual carrying out of
the plan.
| say of your region, not locality; for
the station should be so chosen as to rep
resent, as nearly as possible, the average
conditions of the valley of South Califor-
MIA, from Los Angeles to Redlands. We
cannot establish separate stations for
Los Angeles on the one hand and for
San Bernardino or Riverside on the
other. The location must be compro-
mise, both as to climate and soil and
after pretty full examination, it is my
judgment that the neighborhood of
Pomona, from both it's geographical and
climatic location, is the nearest approach
to fair representation of the whole.
The whole, therefore, is interested; and
while it is natural that the people of
this immediate location should con-
4 tribute more than an average share to
\ the first expenses, it would not be fail
sthat they should bear all. Now it does
seem that between Los Angeles and Red
lands, enough public spirited, or rather,
wisely selfish people should be found to
raise, without serious delay, the trihing
sum of SO 900 or thereabouts.
In regard to the suggestion that 'the
bulk OF the building operations be left to
be completed from time to time in the
FUTURE" so as to ease off the raising of
the fund, | remark that the buildings
stipulated for, viz, a dwelling for the
foreman and barn, with tool house at
tached, are surely the minimum re-
quired, even in this balmy climate.
There must be man on the spot to
take care OF the place, and there must
be a team and tools. Furthermore, our
experience with another case of deferred
buildings has given us so much trouble
and has shown so clearly that the money
is very difficult to raise when the station
is cnce established and the people sup
pose that it will be maintained anyhow,
that 1, for my part, should hesitate to
advise the regents to risk the repetition
of any similar experience.
As the budget must be made up in
readiness to be presented to the regents
for action at their meeting on June 10th,
and the whole must go through several
committees prior to that time, the action
taken should be as prompt as possible,
in order that / may be enabled to CO.
ordinate other matters with this. Very
truly yours,
E. w. HILGARD.