Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-08-27
STATE AGRICULTURAL ooLLEeE.
Notes on Some of the Departments that
May Interest Our Readers.
Editorial Correspondence.

1ty. For natural beauty OF location
aud surrounding country it has
always been noted, as well rs for
healthfulness. The clear, cool
breezes that pour over the coast
mountain range here have a marked
exhilerating effect upon the citizens
of Corvallis, and the traditional
Oregonian sluggishness, sometimes
whispered of to the traveller, is con-
spicuous by its absence.
No more beautiful city as site
for state institution could have
been selected than this choicest spot
in Mary's valley. The richest treas
ures of Oregon's native agricultural
wealth are spread before the eye,
grain land, grass land, hill land,
fruit land, and every elevation from
the white soil that requires under
draining to the mountainous butte
that requires system of waterwOrks
to keep it green, but affords splendid
grazing and forests as its best
natural produce, but can be success
fully cultivated to its bald top. We
mention this variety of soils to show
that Oregon's Agricultural College
and Experimental station are really
we'll located to be of practical value
to the people of every section Of the
state.
The writer had secured a collec-
ton of bulletins, catalogues and
other printed matter issued about
the college but has mislaid them,
and will confine his notes to i'm
pressions made on the spot. Some
severe criticisms are being pub
lished in a few state papers of the
management of this college, and
we had no small opportunity to
post ourselves on the matters bro't
up by those who make a speciality
Of criticising and objecting. We do
not fail to sympathize with proper
reforms in all public institutions and
may at some other time give place
to them. But the purpose of this
brief sketch is rather to familiarize
our readers with some points in IA
vor of this young institution of
learning. Our aim shall be rather
to urge citizens to go and look the
scheme over and give their children
the benefit of the advantages here
offered for securing a valuable edu-
cation, of highly practical and
comparatively inexpensive charac-
ter.
A few hours, study of college or
the men AT the head of it cannot
afford visitor materials for conclus-
i've opinions, except as comparisons
may be made with similar institu-
tions In other states. 1t is safe to
say that Oregon has a very good
start towards an agricultural col
Iege. The grounds, buildings and
equipments are on n liberal yet not
eXtravagant scale. The college
buildings proper will accommodate
nearly three hundred students. First
years enrolment was 100, last years
l5l, and there are indications of
growth in attendance.
At present there are about forty
lcres devoted to the horticultural
department., and some two hundred
'cres to agriculture. The horticul-
ural land was only this year turned
'ver to that department, and does
lot make much more of a showing
han could be expected in so short n
ime. The old orchards have been
wonderfully improved by cultiva-
ION. One orchard that yielded no
ruit last year will this year have
of bushels of sound apples.
spraying has been carried on scien-
itically and accurate records of
prayed and unsprayed trees are
.ept, even to counting the apples
hat fall from each tree. That in
eresting animal, the Goblin moth
eceives proper share of attention.
In the horticultural department |
re met with Prof. q. Coote, prac-
Ical greenhouse gardener and bot
mist, with a natural aptitude for
science. The station
as two good sections Of conserva-
Dry, well filed, and there are u
lumber of ornamental flower beds
bout the college grounds that attest
he skill of the landscape gardener.
One of the practical features OBJ
erVed was about forty rows of toma-
Ies, each row OF "a different kind.
he results obtained in early ripen-
ig, quality and yield will be valra-
lie to Oregon gardeners. The same
ystem will here be conducted with
ther crops. The land for the hor-
department is not as ex.
'nsive or of the kinds necessary Ia
y experiments in fruit growing,
ut we suppose additions will bc
lade.