The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-28
TIE srATE AGRICULTuRIsT.

Talk with Colonel d. d. JohnSon-What
the Experiment. Station Lacks The
Board of Regents Of the UniversIty Not to
Numerous Body.
After the adjournment OF the Farmers'
Institute last night an INTELIIdENcRR
reporter had talk with Colonel D. D.
johnson, who is a member OF the Board
Of Regents of the State University, aud
was recently elected State Agticulturist.
"Colonel," said the reporter, "do you
find much interest among farmers in the
work going on at the Experiment
Station?"
"There is considerable interest mani.
fested," replied the Colonel, "among
thinking farmers, who understand the
work the station is supposed to do. To
explain this 10 the agricultural commu.
nifty, and to render the station more
useful, we are getting up these
farmers institutes. We have hitherto
had fair success in the organization OF
these bodies. As q class, agricul.
turists are conservative and disposed to
90 slow in the adoption OF new ideas.
It may take several years to organize an
institute in every county, buteventually,
l believe, our farmers willappreciate the
benefits to be derived"
show is the work at the Station pro.
gressing?'
1--WE are getting along splendidly,
considering the limited area Of land at
our disposal. We wish to test the adap.
liability 70 our soil and climate, OF all
fruits and other food products. We
wish to experiment 10 stock raising. OF
all operations pertaining to husbandry
we wish to search out the most approved
methods. To enable US TO successfully
conduct our experiments we need a
large farm. Just four acres Of ground,
besides the campus, belong to the State
University. However, we are doing the
best we can. Weare gradually planting
on the campus different varieties Of
trees, and trust the time is not far dis.
taut when representative Of every
species will be growing on the grounds"
"The last Legislature appropriated
S., 900 for the erection OF a mechanical
hall, where manual training in its high
est development will be taught. The
use OF all varieties OF wood and iron
working tools and machinery will be
practically taught. We have two hun
dred pupils at the University, and with
the corps Of teachers employed We could
give instruction 10 four hundred.
zone OF the branches Of my own es.
pecial work Is the experimentation
spoken OF. 0wingt to the small quantity
Of land at my disposal, am Obliged to
conduct experiments at widely distant
points. They are, or should be, prose.
cuted under my instructions. The rain.
fall and the temperature, the insects and
diseases attacking plants, are all in.
cluded in the work OF the State Agricul.
turist.
"What Is your opinion OF the propoai.
ton embodied In d hill presented 10 the
last Legislature, TO redrce the member.
ship OF the Board Of Regents OF the State
University 2"
"It seems to me that sound policy
would dictate the retention of the pres.
ent number OF Regents. Most priVate
universities have large bodies oftrpstees,
and State institution OF this kind
should not be lacking In this particular.
The University Is not an institution Ike
the Insane Asylum or Penitentiary.
You don't force people to send their
children to school. You have 70 coax
them. By having large body OF Rs.
gents, say one from each Senatorial die.
triCt, you adopt method Of populariz.
ing the State University. You hRvo a
man in every community who viii draw
the attention Of the people to the fact
that the university should be patroniZsd.
In other words, you have that many
drummers for the establishment No.
l think the number Of ReseAtS is nohe
too great, and believe that what /
have stated 70 q sufficient reasons"