REPORT OF AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 451 



The college can use to advantage larger funds than it has. 

 In many dh-ections, increased funds are absolutely essential 

 for carrying out the true idea of the college. 



The apparent income, as shown by the treasurer's report, 

 is quite delusive. Several of the items generally given 

 there represent the amount of business done by the farm 

 and department of horticulture, rather than income for 

 support of the institution. The net income is very small, 

 while the work of instruction in practical science is very 

 great, much greater than in an ordinary classical college 

 that has no special scientific department. Small classes 

 require the same amount of instruction as large ones. 



The farm and department of horticulture are both sub- 

 jected to large expense in the care of roads, grounds, plant- 

 houses, etc., all of which must be kept in order for the credit 

 of the institution, and as a means of instruction in practical 

 work. This special care and ornamentative of grounds is 

 provided for in most institutions by special funds. Here 

 this expense, which is very large, is charged to the depart- 

 ments. They are thus made accountable for expense that 

 does not properly belong to them. This gives their prod- 

 ucts an apparent cost which misrepresents the real state of 

 the case. An attempt will be made to separate these items 

 of expense, so that the real working of the farm and horticul- 

 tural department shall be more clearly seen. 



We feel the need of larger funds for every department of 

 college work. We must look to private individuals as well 

 as to the State for the aid the college must have to sustain 

 and increase its efficiency, and make it second to none in the 

 facilities it offers. While money is given so freely to edu- 

 cate men away from productive pursuits, it is certainly 

 strange that in Massachusetts not a dollar has yet been given 

 by private benevolence for the endow^ment of a chair of in- 

 struction in the Massachusetts Agricultural College, — an 

 institution founded to tit men to become intelligent producers 

 in time of peace, and efficient defenders of the State and 

 Union in time of war. When all the legislators and citizens 

 understand the true state of the case, we believe that the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College will never lack for stu- 

 dents or the funds needful for carrying on this institution 



