State Agricultural Society. 319 



CALIFORNIA. 



The Agricultural College of our University is in (prospective) occu- 

 pation of a farm so admirably located and adapted by diversity of soil 

 and exposure to various cultures, that by an organization of students' 

 labor it may be improved with a moderate outlay of funds. Its course 

 of theoretical instruction is well arranged, but theoretical instruction 

 alone is not going to make farmers of our young men. It is for the 

 State to decide whether she will lag behind all others in this respect. 

 Whether the University lands shall remain for a long term of years an 

 undeveloped site, suggestive of splendid possibilities, remains to be seen. 

 The education of our youth in the interest of agriculture and the 

 mechanic arts, the object of the Congressional grant, is to me the most 

 vital of "labor questions." This ought to be secured with the least 

 possible sacrifice of productive industry — a principle which Cornell Uni- 

 versity and several others apply in farm and workshop, with manifest 

 economy of their funds. 



While Minnesota is planting orchards, and Massachusetts growing 

 complete sets of California trees and shrubs in their Agricultural Col- 

 lege grounds, it is not surprising that the question is so often asked 

 what our agricultural department is doing in a practical way. Local 

 and private enterprises are being started for industrial education at 

 other points, which may take the place of German real schools; but the 

 University should lead, and not follow in everything .which tends to 

 develop, diversity, and enoble the industries of the State. 



It is proposed that at the next session of Congress a committee be 

 appointed to examine minutely the plan of organization, construction of 

 buddings, management of grounds, and general working of all the insti- 

 tutions organized under the grant, with instructions to report to the 

 next following Congress, for the information of the country and the 

 benefit of similar institutions yet to be organized. 



I trust such committee will not find the site of our Agricultural Col- 

 lege unoccupied. An Agricultural College without a farm suitably 

 arranged for illustration and experiment would be like a chemical school 

 without a laboratory, or a mechanical school without tools and machinery. 



Yours, very truly, EZRA S. CARE. 



University op California, Oakland, October 2d, 1871. 



