Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1926 [PAGE 138]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1924]

U N I V E R S I T Y O F ILLINOIS

I3S

Further investigations also showed that other tracts suitable for vegetable experiments were not obtainable because growers were using every available space and were not willing to relinquish, even on a short-time lease, a part of their farm for University experiments. W e , therefore, turned our attention to the possibility of a purchase. Here again we experienced difficulty in finding land suitable to our purposes at prices under $1,500 per acre. Indeed, the best lands for our work ranged uniformly around $2,000 or $2,500 per acre. It was our hope too that we might locate something for our work near the center of Cook County, in what is usually thought of as the M a y w o o d region. The objections to this territory are: 1. Industrial plants, railroads, and numerous small suburbs make this anything but a farming section. a. The rapid development of subdivisions makes this land too costly for our purposes. 3. The land for the most part is low and swampy and very little is tile-drained. 4. It would take several years to put in proper tillable condition for experimental work any tracts offered us in this section. These conditions hold good even for several miles north or south of the M a y w o o d region. W e were compelled, therefore, to look especially to the Holland or southern vegetable region, or to the Des Plaines or northern vegetable region, for a suitable location. Our reasons for selecting the Des Plaines region for this work are: 1. Two-thirds of the vegetables produced in Cook County are produced in this northern trucking region. 2. As the vegetable industries are being pushed further away from Chicago, they are spreading in the northwest direction rather than to the south. 3. The land is more suitable for vegetable growing in this section, and there are more and better roads. Our final recommendation, therefore, after a careful study of all the factors involved, is that the University purchase twenty (20) acres of the Louis Nebel farm above referred to. I understand that some criticism has been made because of the length of time required to make a satisfactory selection. Dr. Lloyd, M r . Lewis, and myself have been in m a n y conferences at different times, and on m a n y farms in Cook County, and our conclusions which are brought together in this recommendation are the outcome. W e will have, of course, in a short time, a detailed report to present to you on the results of the experimental work conducted on the three leasedfieldsduring the year 1924. Respectfully submitted, J. C. Blair Head of the Department of Horticulture The budget proposed by Professor Blair and Dean Mumford is as follows: Land $16,000 Salaries E. P. Lewis (to M a y 12, 1925) 2,000 (to July 1, 1925) 250 Wages of temporary employees, teams, and m e n 810 Office expense (including supplies, postage, telephone, and telegraph) 125 Printing (including stationery, advertisements, signs, record blanks, etc.). ... 75 Travel and Mileage 1,800 Supplies (including gas, fertilizers, sprays, seeds, plants, etc.) 500 Equipment (including tools, permanent equipment, buildings, etc.) 3,24° Miscellaneous (including laundry, freight, express, etc.) 200 Total $25,000 I recommend: 1. That the Executive Committee of the Board be authorized and directed to examine the land which Professor Blair and Dean Mumford recommend and to purdirected tonegotiations,work landof Cook Countypayment of the that if price therof, concludes same for the the termsthe sale areSecretary of the Board beif the Committee chasesuitable and that to thePresident directfair and reasonable; purchasesatisfied that it is the secure title the of and and the Experiment Station authorized and