The San Francisco call., 1906-05-29
HEAVY CROPS
ON STATE FARM
University Men Return
From a Tour OF In
spection.
Pleased With Prospect
For Educational
Work.

BERKELEY, May .2S.-President
Benjamin Ide Wheeler returned this
morning with a party Of university
regents and professors from a tour
of inspection of the university farm
in Yolo County. The trip was pre-
liminary to the work of providing
equipment and instructors for the
farm, which is to be opened to stu
dents in three months, When the reg
ular university year begins lEnpor-
tant results are expected to- now
from the visit made by the university
authorities to the farm yesterday, the
prospect being that unexpected fayor
will be given the enterprise by the
regents, all of whom were most hap
PLY impressed with the venture after
their first inspection of the great
ranch near Dayisyille.
The party which accompanied
President Wheeler to Davisville, near
which town the university farm is
located, included Professor E. j.
Wickson, dean of the College of Ag=
ricuIture; professor E. ". Majors Of
the animal industries department pf
the college, Professor j. Waters Of
the Missouri Agricultural College and
Regents Foster, Rush and Anderson.
Professor Wickson, who has had
most to do, as dean of the Agricultur-
IL College, with the details OF the
university farm project, acted as
guide and mentor to the party of uni
Yersity men as they made their way
over the farm. There are $50 acres
to the ranch, for which the State is TO
pay 100000.
WORK TO BEGIN IN AUGUST.
This farm. now a rather lonely sec
lion. although rich in adj farm prod
acts, is to be the theater of great ac-
.ivities when the university people
take control of 1t next August. The
title to the property is now being. ex-
amined by the Attorney General OF
the State, and when the title. is ap-
proved the money will be paid over
10 the owners, and the university will
come into possession OF a magnlhceht
piece of ranch land.
Professor Wickson said today:
The regents who visited the farm wit'
President Wheeler, Professor waters
Professor Majors and myself, were sreat
ly impressed by the appearance of wha
$ to be the State University Farm. II
ranch is in excellent shape. The erol
are heavy, showing the richness of III
soil It's diversity is also apparent, an
this. of course, appealed to the unlVersii. /.
regents. who understand that We putpos
giving instruction on the farm in ever
branch of agricultural industry.
We will have about $4,000 to spend fe
equipment and instructors the first yeai
this amount being left after sl02,0o6 j
paid for the farm. The Legislature az
propriated sI5e. 900 for the project. Wha
will be done by the Legislature for tn
second years work on the farm remain
to be determined About S25 006 will
spent for buildings and $4,000 for equir
;neht and instructors the frst year.
BIG INCOME EXPECTED.
We shall probably be restricted to shoi
courses in agriculture for the coming ye6
on the farm. Professor Majors natural.
will be there great deal. and othe
members of our college faculty will serY,
on the farm. When all is in proper run
ming order most of the work will be dor
by local instructors. | suppose super
intendent or manager will be require,
to supervise all the activities there
There will be large income from tll'
farm. but most of il will be turned bae
in the way OF purchases of stock, equip
ment, etc The cost of stocking the farr
with thoroughbred cattle will be abou
Si5o, ,00o-,, The net income, you can easil.
see, Will be small
/ do not anticipate that the number @
students now at the agricultural coleg,
1 here will be decreased because of thu
opening of the university farm. Hundred,
are expected there to be given ifstruc.
+ ton, but in all probability the enrollmen
here will increase rather than decrease
Our teaching staf is none too large. bu
/ rather insufficient now, and the needs O
| the farm will call for additions to tn,
stan of the agricultural college.
The regents have yet to consider sucl
matters as the engagement of these in
| structors for the farm and the academi,
council, suppose will have to thresh ou
the matter of a curriculum All of thil
will be given attention during the comm,
months before the university farm i:
thrown opAn next August