320 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



experimental station such as is really needed. We hare however 

 an Agricultural College, established upon what seems to be a 

 pretty sure foundation. It is meeting, deservedly, with a good 

 deal of favor ; and it is to that institution and kindred institutions 

 that we must now look for some contributions to agricultural 

 science. We must now have these scientific experiments conduct- 

 ed so that they will be types of experiments that we can all try. 

 Experiments as to the real value of muck — a question upon which 

 hundreds of experiments have been tried, and concerning which 

 the most diverse opinions prevail among those who have used it ; 

 experiments with plaster, so that we can have that question, which 

 is continually coming up, "What is the use of plaster upon soil?" 

 settled. You can think of many questions which can there be 

 clearly and fully settled. 



But, gentlemen, you must not expect too much of the Professors 

 of the agricultural college. Their time is very largely occupied in 

 imparting instruction to the students attending. Only fragments 

 of it are at their command which can be devoted to experiments 

 having for their object an increase of the amount of knowledge at 

 present existing. I am in a position to say this. It is also 

 requisite that you give them your hearty cooperation. They need 

 this as much as they need the payment of their salaries. It is 

 indispensable that they have your hearty cooperation and encour- 

 agement in their work. 



And now, in bringing to a close these remarks, which have 

 necessarily been brief, and fragmentary, I wish to say that one of 

 the Professors has been very well and favorably known to me and 

 to very many in the State ; the other comes among you as a stran- 

 ger. It gives me pleasure at this time to renew an acquaintance 

 with him very pleasantly begun upon the other side of this conti- 

 nent, I had the pleasure of meeting him in California, where he 

 was undertaking a course of experiments under circumstances of 

 exceeding diflBculty. You remember the petroleum excitement in 

 California a few years since. You remember that companies were 

 formed, and superintendents were sent out, and chemists to assist 

 those superintendents. Among them, our friend Prof. Peckham 

 went. He was directed to conduct experiments in regard to the 

 California petroleum. What appliances did he find upon that Ojai 

 ranch, a long distance south of San Francisco ? He had no appli- 

 ances within his reach, and was obliged to draw upon the resources 



