The San Francisco call., 1897-01-19
Specimen of Tobacco Plant Grown IN Alameda County Now
Exhibition the State Farmers Institute at Lvermore.
E. c. Hahn Has Made Speciality of TobacooGrowng.

of California, convened this morning at
the Masonic Hall in Livermore.
There was a large attendance for the
opening day, and many people from Oak
land and all the surrounding towns were
present.
The hall is very tastily decora ted by the
ladies' auxiliary of the Livermore League
of Progress and by the league. Vine and
olive culture, catte-feeding and creamery
products and many other allied industries
were represented, but perhaps the most
interesting feature was the exhibit OF
tobacco culture by E. G. Hahn, who has
spent considerable time in experimenting
with tobacco plants in this county.
E. S. Adams, the well-known agricul-
tural writer, opened the proceedings with
paper in which he showed clearly the
relation of the State University TO the
farmer. The various experiments made
at the university and the data which are
there compiled and sent out were touched
upon, and the speaker expressed the
opinion that the farmers did not fully ap-
preciate or are not aware of the vast
amount of benefit they can receive by
taking advantage of the university expert
ments. He showed that very small per-
centage of the farmers of the State take
the trouble to place themselves in COM
munication with the univel sity and thus
rob themselves of the resultant advan-
tages.
A P. Hayne dealt with resistant vines.
He has spent many years in practical
vine-erowing and spoke with authority of
his experience. According to his data,
there is a great deal of loss incurred by
growers because they do not attach suffi-
cient Importance to the scientific feature
OF their business. He stated that it is not
sufficient to put vines in the ground and
to expect them to grow and produce fin Q
grapes unless the conditions OF soil an d
climate and the nature of the vines re
studied and care is taken to protect the IN
from the ravages of insects and weather.
The culture Of olives was the theme of
]. NJ. Doty's paper. Mr.. Doty is one OF
the best known olive growers in the
county, and he handled the subject in an
interesting and practical manner and con-
vinced the audience that his conclusions
were result of useful experience.
Valentine Alviso, the best known
pioneer rancher in Livermore Valley, read
a paper which was largely historical and
which dealt with some "reminiscences of
early farming in California. His refer
ences to the hardships encountered in
early days and to the difficulty of trans
portation were somewhat of a surprise to
the younger generation of farmers pres
ent. Mr.. AlYiso is at present owner OF a
large ranch which he has cultivated for
forty years, and his treatment of the SUBJ
ject OF the development of farming in this
country was very valuable and no doubt
suggestive of much that will be put in
practice by others.
Professor J. w. Connell of the Liver
more High School spoke on his favorite
subject of the relation of agriculture to the
high school. The professor has taught
for years that the training for practical
farmer should commence in the high
school, and that lads whose future makes
it practically certain that they will be-
come agriculturists should lay the founda-
ton of practical knowledge of farming
as early in life as possible He enlarged
upon this subject, and in earnest language
convinced his audience of the truth of his
remarks.
Professor M. Z. Jaffa gave an interest
ing account of the result gained by ex-
periments at the State Agricultural Sta
ton with cattle-feeding. His paper was
emlnently practical and it is very evident
that the professor had thoroughly mas
tered his subject.
Tomorrow Professor Jaffa will open the
institute with a talk upon California
creamery butter. E. G. Hahn will Illus
trate with large number of specimens
the results of experimental tobacco cul.
ture. II. P. Mohr will read a paper on
horse breeding. j. a. Filcher will discuss
foreign markets. Mrs. w. w. Cunningha
will speak on her favorite subject of home
markets and State Highway Commits
sioner Marsden Manson will close with a
talk on good roads