204 ANNUAL REPOKT 



the university was not really organized and put into operation 

 till 1869. Thus eighteen years elapsed between the time of the 

 first gT-aut for the university by Congress and the organization 

 of a faculty for university work. At first the regents very prop- 

 erly made provision for the education that was most needed 

 and demanded. Pull provision was made for instraction in sci- 

 ence, literature and arts. For years the provision thus made 

 was sufficient for the wants of the State. As schools and schol- 

 arship in the State improved the work in the university was 

 raised, preparatory classes were drojjped, till now only one re- 

 mains, and its days are numbered. Later came the organization 

 of the college of mechanic arts, and of the college of agricul- 

 ture. Up to this time the sons of farmers, like the sons of every- 

 body else, had had free permission to enter every class room in 

 the university for which they were prepared. Now they were 

 permitted to have in junior and senior years special instruction 

 in agriculture in addition to all the other privileges of the 

 university. In other words, a special college of agriculture, 

 with a two-years' course, was established, to enter which a stu ■ 

 dent must*have pursued the college course during the two pre- 

 ceding years. 



In due time, also, the regents, in order to fulfill their trust and 

 to do all that was possible for the agricultural education, bought 

 a farm near the university, for the practical experimental work. 

 When the present professor of ^agriculture came to the State he 

 found the farm uusuited to its intended use, and upon his rec- 

 ommendation the regents sold the farm, and with the proceeds 

 of the sale purchased the present experimental farm, erected 

 thereon a model house and barn, placed upon the farm a variety 

 of stock, recreated — so to speak — the whole farm, so that at 

 the present time it is a most admirable tract of land, a beautiful 

 specimen of what it is possible for a Minnesota farm to be; with- 

 out a weed in its cultivated parts, and with a rich covering of 

 grass where formerly not a blade was growing. In bringing the 

 farm to its present condition and present fitness for experiment- 

 al work, and in meeting the requirements of the department of 

 agriculture, the regents have expended many thousands of dol- 

 lars; and they have spent, year by year, far more for the de- 

 partment of agriculture than they have spent for any other de- 

 partment whatever, and they have done this with a very sincere 

 desire to improve agriculture and to benefit the farmers. 



If this liberal policy has not been aj)preciated, if students 



