The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1898-06-08
HIS IMPRESSION
Of the University-So Much
Greater An Institution

Than He Thought-The Experiment
Station An Important Adjunct
Some Good Words for Dr.. Hartigan
The Great Amount of Work He
Does. by Far the Most Important
State Institution We Have.
While in Morgantown recently we
had an opportunity TO become more
familiar than we had ever been with
the Agricultural Experiment Station,
its staff and the work il is doing,
As some misapprehension seems te
exist among eur people as to Just what
the Experiment Station is and its
work, we shall endeayer to give you
the benefit OF our observations. The
station has one large two-story build
ing; on the first floor Of which are the
chemical laboratories, the mailing
room; room occupied by the eutom-
ologist, and one by the horticulturlst
and assistant agrieulturist, several
smaller rooms are used as offices, for a
dark room and weighing room.
On the second floor is the directors
office, a room used by the steDograph-
er, the library, and larger room used
for class and lecture room by the
instructors in the Agricultural De-
partment of the University: two small
Ter rooms are used as miscroscopical
laboratory and as an office for~sthe bo-
tanist. In the attic is stored the
bulletins which are kept for binding
and distribution. Ia the basement
is the boiler for heating the building
and green houses; rooms for grinding
and preparation of samples of soil,
minerals, fertilizers, etc, for analysis,
for the storage Of chemicals and for
incubators and brooders,
The small amount Of ground around
the station is used for the green houses
and small plot which is used in ex-
periments in growing vegetables.
The laboratories are all well equipped.
About a mile and half from the
station is small farm which was
purchased a few years ago by the
board of regents but which was en-
tirely unsuited to the needs of the
station: the citizens of the State take
sufficient interest In the matter to
see that more suitable piece Of land
| is purchased, one which can be culti-
waited with modern farming imple-
ments, and sufficiently large not only
for cultural experiments but also in
vestigations in stock-raising, etc.
The purpose of the station is to
conduct experiments and inyestiga-
ton leading to the solution Of the
many problems which confront the
agriculturist in West Virginia. The
determination of the crops and differ
ent fields of agriculture most suited
to the climate of the State.
The various departments are looked
after by men who have made spec
ialty of one branch of agriculture, who
love their work and devoting their
lives TO it.
The board of regents deserve the
thanks of the people of the State for
their wise selection of director; the
station seems to have entered on a
new era Of prosperity. Mr.. Stewart
is man eminently fitted by nature
and training to execute in a credltable
manner the manifold duties which de-
volve upon him. Not only this but
his interests are the interests of
the farming community, for num-
Der OF years he has managed
and titled his own farm. Hence
the experiments which are conduct
ed at the station are not directed
by man who is attempting to make
a display of an imperfect theoretical
knowledge at the expense of the peo-
pie of the State, but by man in
whom is happily combined executive
ability Of high order, technical
and practical knowledge Of agricul-
ture and who is in sympathy with the
farmers of West Virginia. He desires
that the station shall be OF the great
est possible benefit to them and that
they shall in every way have advan-
tage Of the work, advice and as
sistance of the staff. The people Of the
State should cooperate and assist him
in every way possible.
In speaking of the biological de-
partment we feel that too much could
not be said. DR.. Hartigan is man
pre- eminently fitted by nature and
training for instruction in this de-
partment.nI1is laboratory lecture room
Is Allied with annaratus of the most
modern aud improved character, and
he has made onite a large collection
Of biological snecimens.
/ We can readily understand the
breadth Of Or. Hartipan,s training
when the University catalogue in
forms ms that he is giving instruction
in ANATOMY nhvsioloov zoology. field
and structural botany. microscopy
and bacteriolopy. We also get some
idea of the large amount of work