East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-12-12
PRESIDENT kerr
HAS GREAT PLAN
WOULD ESTABLISH MANY
EXPERIMENT STATIONS
Federal Authorities VIII Assist in
Aiding Development of OrcGon's In
dustries-Would Encourage Irriga-
tion.

Practically every part of the state
Of Oregon will be benefited by the
plan for the extension of experiment
work in all phases of horticulture and
agriculture which is now under con-
sideration by President w. ]. Kerr
OF the Oregon Agricultural College
and the authorities at Washington.
The plan will be submitted to the re-
sents of the college at meeting
which will be held within the plan and
II will then be ready for presentation
to the legislature at its next meeting.
While at Washington DR.. Kerr
presented his plans to the officials
| of the various departments and Sc
cured their cooperation. The federal
/ officials have agreed to give material
| financial support and have offered
the services of their experts.
The plan includes extensive expert
ments in irrigation in the Willamette
valley The experiments will be car
ried on in cooperation with farmers
and fruit growers at such points in
| the valley as will best test the vary
ing conditions. This may necessitate
work in as many as fifteen different
communities in the valley. 1t will in
clude Investigations of methods of ir-
rigation and testing of soils, drainage,
the adaptability of various kinds of
farming and the time and methods of
tillage.
Harney valley, or some other local
ity in the central part of oregon, will
|
other experiment station. The two
or three million acres of land which
will be opened up BY the building of
railroads into this section and which
are now almost entirely unproductive
will by means of experimental work
be redeemed and made productive
This will be a station at which the
problems of dry farming will be stud
led exclusively.
Some point in southern Oregon will
also be selected as a site for an eX
pertinent station which will be cen
ter for extensive operations through
out that section of the state. The Of
ficials at Washington have expressed
themselves as favorable to the station
at that point and are now at worn
on the plans. This station will take
up not only the study of the various
branches of horticulture but will alsC
make extensive Investigations alon!
all agricultural lines. The station au
thorities will cooperate with the far
mers and fruit growers in this section
in the solution of whatever problem
may present themselves.
DR.. Kerr believes that if these plan
meet with the approval of the legis
lature and receive the support of tn
people of the state the agriculture
products of the state will be increase
many millions of dollars.
The experimental work which is
be carried on through these station
will be under the control of the CO.
lege and will be conducted by expert
= of the college experiment station an
the federal government. The gres
\ variety of soils, climate, elevation an
4 other natural conditions make tn
8 state a rich field for experiment.
4 work. The fact that the state is b'
q ing settled very extensively at tn
time by people who are not familia
with the conditions makes the e'
perimental work of exceptional valu
, to the state.