The San Francisco call., 1906-07-08
AGRICULTURE FAST
GAINING FAVOR.
Professor Wickson Says
This Science Has a
Very Bright Future
Kearney's Bequest to
California Will Serve
to Advance the Work

10 ADVANCE IIlC w OIk
| OAKLAND, July 7.-Professor E. J.
! Wickson, dean of the University Of
California Agricultural College and
acting director of the Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station, delivered an exhaust
i've address this evening before the Pa
irons of Husbandry at Odd Fellows
Hall, Eleventh and Franklin streets.
The subject was The Advancement of
Agricultural Education"
Professor Wickson said IL Is a very
interesting fact that there never was
such a wide demand for agricultural
| education. research and experiment as
/ there Is at present. and never such
| general disposition among civilized na-
/ tions TO provide generously for them.
In this. he declared. the United States
as nation is a leader. Professor
| Wickson gave statistics showing the
| great increase in pupils in the State
Agricultural Colleges and he detailed
the work of the University of California
! in this regard.
| Speaking of the State agricultural
| farm, Professor Wickson said:
1t will serve for instruction in the
/ highest lines of agricultural technology
and for the plainest lessons in the best
! ditions. In this way the university
farm will serve all classes of students
4 both both young and old, and will afford
each, according to his needs, instruc-
! tion which no other State Institution
provides 1t will not duplicate. nor be
a substitute for, high school or col
/ iege, but viii be supplementary to all
institutions which undertake to asso-
ciate agriculture in any form with
other educational subjects; There is a
grand opportunity in California to
equip and use the university farm
along synthetic lines both in the nature
OF its instruction and in its relations to
n of hA
The benefits to be derived from the
Kearney bequest Professor Wickson
explained follows:
The princely bequest of the late NJ
Iheodore kearney Of Fresno, provid
ing an endowment which may have
value of something like a million dol
lars. for the establishment and mainte-
nance of agricultural instruction ard
gives striking emphasis to the biblical
declaration that ito him who hath shall
pc De given. California sali by third Of a
agriculture. eliminating in the pro-
vision of the university farm. has dem
onstrated the possession of a public
! to assist the State toward the more
speedy attainment Of that which Is
recognized as the most potent agency
for the promotion of prosperity and
success among our citizens during the
coming generation.
1t is not the having but the conceded
| this case 1t is the spirit which multi
plies the gold. not the mere tendency
OF the gold to congregate. II is bright.
in this way and its future accomplish
ments will be blessed. 1t is too soon
to undertake any outline of what
ment when 1T becomes available. That
will require careful consideration in
connection with the informal wishes OF
the donor. 1t is sufficient at the mo-
I
| lists for its wise and effective use for
| the promotion Of the industry TO which
the donor enthusiastically gave his
most diligenc efforts and succeeded so
well.
There is no present danger of too
much money being available for re-
! search and instruction in agriculture in
such a State as California where popu-
lation may be multiplied ten or twenty
fold without approaching density and
whose capacity and variety of produc-
| ton is hardly yet described. The great
San Joaquin Valley where Kearney
have commanded the attention Of the
world and In the development of pro-
| ducts which have reversed the old
hardly entered upon the greatness OF
her future In that future there will
be the fullest scope for the wisest en-
ricultural education and research which
his devoted gift can create and main
| tain.
dI
seats of learning. old and new. is only
a portion of their effective work The
University of California like other in
stitutions, is pursuing extension efforts
with its Farmers Institute short
courses and reading courses, is regard
ed by those familiar with 1t as one of
the greatest awakening agencies which
has thus far been invoked for agricuI-
tural advancement and enlightenment
II has an inward movement. irnprovin r
agriculture by direct dissemination Of
knowledge of great practical import
ance and by suggestion of how to OBJ
serve to attain truth from ones own
experiences. 1t has a strong outward
movement toward securing for agri-
culture the manifold advantage of the
introduction of the elements OF sciences
underlying agriculture into the cur
ricula of rural schools
University extension in agriculture is
development of the industry and for
awakening of all interested in it TO the
feasibility and Importance of education
farm. 1t is most valuable method of
bringing to thousands some knowledge
of scientific research and of advanced
practice which never could have been
available to them in more systematic
and protracted courses.
The activities of the University Of
California are widely distributed
throughout the State and the newer ac-
quisitions of the agricultural depart
ment of the university will enable IL
cal needs. Not less significant than
these outposts which have been dis
cussed, is the provision made by the
last Legislature for Southern Califor-
MIA, by the establishment of a branch
experiment station at Riverside and a
laboratory of plant diseases at Whit
tier. These important undertakings
are now being planned and equipped
for active work. The University of
everywhere in the State. 1t should not
be centralized. 1t should do everything
it can do for the people in the place
where each thing can be best done and
thus demonstrate its appreciation of
the generous support which it receives
from the State.
SUES ON SANDER CHARGE.
OAKLAND. July 7.--George Ingra-