The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-18

turn to the customs Of those times can
again be an independent man. He can
get UP at 4 a. M; his wife card and
spin the wool from the few sheep he
raises, and he can kill his beef in the
fall and sell a quarter or two to his
nelghborS for cash to get what ne
needs. To-day, however, the farmer
sells his produce for cash and buys
everything for cash. He sells at the
lowest wholesale price and buys at
the highest retail price. The era OF
speculation has also taken the place OF
the steady, old, conservative days.
When the frontiers were being set
tied, it was the era of barter. AS the
country began to open up, railroad lines
We're projected, money was borrowed
and capital invested, and everything
went on swimmingly. Now the pay
time has come. To complicate the stu
alton, invention has enabled one man to
do the work that five used to do; the
frontier is gone which used to form an
outlet for home production. We recov-
led quickly from the panfcs of 1891
and 1913, but we have not so readily
recovered from the later one.
The virgin soil is all taken up now
and the ShiftlesS farmer can no longer
emigrate to new soil. We are now con-
| fronted with the same situation that
prevails in Europe, and it has come to
the competition of man with man.
Wasteful methods of agriculture will
practice economical methods and in Or
der to do SO he must know what they
are. In this battle, as in all others, the
strong man must survive. Who is the
strong man? He is the man who has
the most knowledge. He is the most
scientific man. There is a difference
between the scientific man and what
| is generally called the theorist.
1t is the business of the Agricultural
| College to ascertain the truth by ex-
pertinent. 1t is not it's business to ap-
| ply the truth. That is the business of
the farmer, when it has been commu-
nicated to him. He may, if he chooses.
proceed on theory alone, assuming
that he knows it all and carrying out
| his theories, but his success or his
failure is his own individual experience.
The work of the University is to save
waste and to put all the farmers in pos
session Of the information that may
save it to them and allow them to
profit by the knowledge gained by
scientific research.
| This is what leadership is. 1t is one
agency working for the benefit of the
whole and disseminating among them
the knowledge gained, for the good Of
all the community.
| Take fruit pests, for instance. Half
the money that has been spent in try
ing to eradicate them has been wasted
and has done no good. So it is with the
culture of tobacco, the methods of
producing the most meat, milk and
other things. These are the subjects
for which the College of Agriculture
are investigating and which it wishes
to induce the farmers of the State to
study and put in practice for their own
benefit
In answer to a question, he stated
that an appropriation of $1,000 is
made to each State by the General Gov
eminent for the purpose of experiment
tai stations. Little Rhode Island, which
is not as large as one of our counties
gets as much as our large State, which
is several hundred miles long and
wide. The apportionment has there
fore been divided into five portions, for
stations in different portions of the
State. making $1,000 for each. OF
course not much can be done with so
small an amount, but even SO, enough
has been done to benefit the State to
many times the amount of the outlay.
The University wishes that at the close
of each Institute resolutions be passed
embodying the opinion of the Institute
as to the benefit it has received from
the facts presented. He would there
fore ask that committee be appoint
ed by the meeting to formulate it's
opinions.
Professor Hilgard stated that with
the small sum appropriated to this big
State it had been found impossible to
follow the course taken by other States
and no bulletins are issued except as
to results actually found by expert
ment. The farmers have been enlisted
in the work by the distribution of seeds
and reports made by them of processes
pursued and results obtained The
college has adopted three departments
in its work; lectures to the pupils, a
department which answers inquiries to
the extent of 5000 to 1000 letters a
year and finally, the present system of
Institutes. The seeds sent out are not
| like those sent by Congressman, but
those that are new and that
the college thinks are likely to
| be a success. There are over 1900
applicants this year and the seeds are
only sent to those who will promise to
follow directions and faithfully report
processes and results.
Ex-senator Johnston said he was in
terested in the discussion of these sub
| jects, as he was believer in Institutes.
and wished for an expression of opin-
| ion upon results. He would therefore
move that a committee be appointed by
| the chair to frame resolutions at the
! close Of the institute. He would sug-
gest as Chairman of that committee
| the Secretary, c. F.. Mack.
The chair appointed as the commit
tee c. f. Mack, J. A. Woodson, S H.
| Jackman, Mrs. Shields and Mrs Flint
He also asked those present to try to
| induce their friends to come in and
find out that the practical men, who
think they know it all can still learn
something from men who have made
these things matter of exact scientific
research.
L..