ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 239 



ject was limitless in time and boundless in endeavor. He, too, however, 

 had his professional troublesi. He often went from his cflTice at the closie 

 of the day with a heavy heart. His tired brain too frequently suggest- 

 ed: What is the use? Why prolong the contest? But the next morn- 

 ing he took up again his tasks with spirit and with continuous hope of 

 ultimate successi. There were encouragements as well as discourage- 

 ments, but we are not attempting a complete story. At the close of hisi 

 long career he could not say that m the actual and plainly observable 

 condition of things his expectations* had been justified or his favorable 

 predictions fulfilled. 



Turning now for a moment to horticulture in this rapid review 

 similar statements might in part be made. After two years of inquiry 

 the second professorship in the original list had not been filled. Here 

 again no one in our entire country was really qualified for the proposed 

 duties. In the emergency the Trusitees turned' to a young assistant pro- 

 fessor of natural history in charge of a department so named, and which 

 had been organized during the first year, ard in March, 1870, he was made 

 professor of botany and horticulture. That he continued in service was 

 due, without doubt, to the connectioms with the first subject in the title. 

 The horticultural duties were ad ded. After the class room exercises 

 were over for the day, drains could be located, ground laid out, trees 

 planted, fruits gathered, plant disease studied, etc. It is almost certain 

 no man could have long sustained himself in these practical affairs taken 

 by themselves. The story would have been that already told. 



Such in brief and in a rather one-sided account is the early history 

 of agriculture in this institution in which the subject and the workers 

 now have so prominent a part. Let us see if we can find the causes for 

 thes low. and dearly-bought development. 



In the first place we must understand that the history here is in no 

 wise peculiar, neither can failure be attributed to any want of earnest- 

 ness or purpose of honesty of mind on the part of authorities. What was 

 true here was essentially the case elsewhere. As we have seen great 

 things were anticipated; agriculture and agricultural people were to be 



