118 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the plans which were discussed in the beginning tended to the 

 organization of another college under the name of the Agricul- 

 tural College, but where the Agricultural College would be an 

 excuse and not a real thing. That was the chief ground of my 

 opposition. I thought that if all the educational resources 

 which are at the command of the State should be united in one 

 great institution, we might do better for the community. But 

 circumstances have led to the organization of this college in 

 sucli a way that the original plans have passed through a series 

 of modifications, and it is now on such a footing that it has 

 assumed a very different aspect from what it promised at first. 

 I have seen to-day what has been done within a year and I have 

 been astonished. I have been astonished to see that this insti- 

 tution begins to assume a character of its own — not to be a mere 

 imitation of what we had before ; that it begins to assume the 

 character of an agricultural college ; and if it is carried on in the 

 way in which it is now moving, it will really end in being an agri- 

 cultural college, with all the features that an institution of that 

 kind ought to have, and distinguished from anything we have 

 elsewhere. But to secure that result, there ought to be several 

 things done which are only proposed or partially accomplished. 

 Now there is to be a professor of agricultural chemistry. That 

 is a very important step ; but why should you stop there ? 

 Why should not all those interested in agricultural pursuits 

 urge the appointment of several professors of agriculture ? No 

 one man can do the whole work which is to be done there. 

 There ought to be investigations in agricultural chemistry all 

 the world over, employing numberless able investigators. We 

 have now only a few of them in this country, and a well-con- 

 ducted agricultural college should have several, who should take 

 hold of the different branches of agricultural chemistry and 

 carry them to such perfection that their work should help in 

 advancing the knowledge of agricultural chemistry, and in fur- 

 nishing the farmers throughout the State that information con- 

 cerning the value of their soil and the nature of the manures 

 they employ which they absolutely need. If we had these sev- 

 eral professors we should have such a number of pupils that all 

 the analyses needed by farmers could be made in the school ; 

 and, gentlemen, let me say that if you have but one professor 

 he will be so occupied all the year round in teaching, that he 



