The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-31
THE PROFESSOR AROUSED,
1ilgard Replies to the Attaok ON the
AgrioultaraI Collage.


SAN FRANCISCO Jan. 30.-The attack against
the agricultural department of the state uni
versity has caused PROBES sor Hilgard, the head
of the agricultural department, to make the
following statement:
"Tho article res pectng the expenses of the
agricultural college OF this university cont ins
nothing that Is now and is merely revival,
by interested persons, OF charges which were
fully disproyed years ago. 1t is unnecessary
for me to say that, in the present as in the past
we court the fullest and most immediate in
vestgation of our work, by legislative COM
mittee or otherwise, that can be made by fair
minded and intelligent persons.
"Without entering into detailed argument
] will merely say that whoever compiled the
financial statement in the article in question,
committed the error of confusing the United
States experiment station, the state forestry
system and portion OF the Morrill, aid fund.- all
used for experimental purposes. with the sums
used purely for instruction. This wholly de-
stroys the value of the figures given. In fact,
this correction reduces by two-thirds the al
1eged expense per capita.
Moreover. agricultural students taking tn e
full course are scarce everywhere in the world,
even in Europe; but the number actually in
attendance on purely agricultural lectures is
not IT but As. But this represents the smallest
group of persons under our instructions.
Apart from farmers institutes, correspond
ence with between 5000 and 1000 persons
yearly reaches applicants for information over
the state.
"The tenor of the letters and reviews
throughout California regarding our work and
such official reports as that made by the com
mittee Of the state grange at the last annual
meeting. satisfy us that our work is appreci-
eted by the farmers OF the state
university education, however, occupies
barely one-third of the time OF our staff The
experiment station work all the results OF
which concentrated and elaborate, at
Berkeley and published in our bulletins and
reports fairly overburdens the rest OF the time
OF Woodworking staff.
Regarding salaries, they are not greater
than in other departments of the university,
and are such as are necessary to secure and re-
tain the services of competent specialists To
these moreover. IL makes no difference
whether the classes consist of five or of rs
students The preparation and the time re
CURED are the same. and the organic act
creating the university, in conformity to the
United States law providing the funds, makes
the maintenance OF q full equipped college Of
agriculture compulsory upon the regents.
at is particularly fortunate for California
that, unlike other states the double duty of
instruction and experimentation is done by
the same corps of workers, greatly reducing
the expenditures.
''Now, as in the past, decline to notice any
personal assaults. A long experience through
many years OF professional life has convinced
me taat they always show the weakness of a
cause which thinks itself helped by such
weapons.
signcd) L. w. HMGARD,
Professor of Agriculture and Dirsc tor OF Ex-
pertinent Stations.
70 f<eley, Jan. 80. 1895.