mended, and ask to be discharged from the further considera

tion of the subject.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

S. H. BLACKMAN,

THOMAS F. MOORE,

Senate Committee.

H. P. COMBES,

F. H. RANKIN,

J. B. COBB,

A. J. KEENEY,

W. F. JENISON,

House Committee.

1863.

No. 4.

[No. 4.]

REPORT of the committee on Agriculture, in relation to a bill making appropriations for the support of the State Agricultural College, and the State Board of Agriculture.

The committee on agriculture, to whom was referred

A bill making appropriations for the support of the State Agricultural College, and the State Board of Agriculture,

Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have made examination of the facts on which the appropriation named in the bill, is asked. The sum named in the bill, is the same with that recommended by the State Board of Agriculture, in their Annual Report, and also by the Governor, in his message.

The character of the Agricultural College depends on the superior excellence of the instruction given-its means of illustration, and its power of reaching, educating, and retaining in the farming profession, the young men of the State. Instructors in natural sciences, at this College, necessarily spend a larger portion of time, daily, with students, in chemical analysis, examination of natural objects, and field practice, than is required by Professors in more purely literary institutions. In

addition to the President, who also gives instruction in studies required by law, the College has, under appointment for the next two years, a Professor of Zoology and Animal Physiology, a Superintendent of the Farm, a Professor of Agricultural Chemistry, an instructor in Botany and Horticulture-under whose care are the various gardens of the College-an instructor in Mathematics, and its application to Surveying, &c.; and an instructor of the Preparatory class-a class imperatively demanded by the condition of the common schools, out of which come the students of the College. No one of these teachers can be dispensed with, without disregard to the thoroughness of instruction, the character of the student, the good name and honor of the Institution. Besides the sum of money requisite to the support of the corps of teachers, other outlays are essen tial.

All that portion of the labor of students, expended on the fruit garden, in its present condition, on the care of the grounds, the botanical gardens, and general improvements, cannot, for some years, make any pecuniary return to the College The condition of the Farm is now such as to make it necessary for the Superintendent to be relieved of all duties connected with the boarding hall, that he may devote himself to the instruc tion of students, on the Farm. This change will be accompa nied with some expenditure of money, at first.

The ideal towards which your committee find the Board of Agriculture striving to make the College approximate, is to make every part of the work a portion of the education of the student, in skill, scientific knowledge, and an increased liking for agricultural pursuits. For the first time, also, the College is in condition to take proper care of valuable stock, for which it is highly desirable to exchange that now on the farm. The change seems to be required, in order to furnish students a knowledge of domestic animals, examples of varieties, models of excellence, and standards of comparison. The rapid accumulation of specimens of natural history, and other things inci

dent to the mere maintaining of the present prosperity of the College, demand more or less outlay.

Your committee have satisfied themselves that the Board of Agriculture, in asking for an appropriation of $10,000 a year, for the next two years, took into account their receipts from every other source, the present condition of the country, and based their request on only the essential wants of the Institution. We are convinced that the last appropriation to the College was carefully and judiciously expended by the State Board of Agriculture, and that the appropriation now asked for should be trusted to their hands with confidence. It may not be inappropriate for the committee to refer to the expenditures of the College to the present date.

By reference to the proper documents, the entire expenditure is found to be $150,320 00. Of this sum, there came from the salt spring lands $56,320 00, making the entire cost of the Institution to the State, $94,000 00.

Of this latter sum, $13,470 73 was expended in addition to the proceeds of the salt spring lands, before the opening of the College, reducing the average expenditure a year of the College since the opening, to less than $13,500.

Your committee suppose that all are aware that it is but two years since the course of instruction in the College, was changed from two to four years. This is, of itself, sufficient to account fully for the fewness of numbers in the higer classes. As the lower classes advance in standing, it is thought the numbers in the Institution will largely increase.

Your committee would, therefore, most respectfully report back the bill, without amendment, recommending that it do pass, and asked to be discharged from further consideration of the subject.

E. BUELL, Chairman.