Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Ag Building [PAGE 31]

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T h e Agricultural College and Experiment Station is one of the wisest conceptions of this or of any age. It should not be regarded as merely a help to agriculture or an aid, however valuable; such an estimate falls far short of the truth. It is a necessary, an indispensable agent in the development of a better and more profitable and more engaging agriculture. T h e farmer can not experiment profitably. Agricultural experiments for the most part require some years for their completion. There must be parallel experiments under varying conditions. Exact records must be preserved. Expensive apparatus is often required. I need not recount the obstacles to successful experimentation by individual farmers; they are numerous and practically insurmountable. If for no other reason, a college or association of some kind is necessary, because experiments if left dependent upon the life, health and inclination of private persons, would almost certainly fail. Although comparatively new institutions, colleges of agriculture have abundantly proved their value. There i§ but one opinion among those acquainted with their work; they must be maintained. Any farmer and all farmers who will watch the work done in these institutions and who will apply to their own work what may be applicable, will soon be their enthusiastic friends. A reasonable amount of public money judiciously expended on our agriculture college will return an hundred fold to the common good. A wise public policy will surely give liberal support to the agricultural college and experiment station. We are met here to dedicate this great building, the largest agricultural college building, I believe, in the world. It is consistent—we are the greatest agricultural community, and this building stands in the center of the largest tract of the most productive land comprised in any single State. It will be well -equipped. We have here a corps of instructors, many of them already renowned for eminent services to agriculture, all are learned and skillful in the art, and devoted to it. T o the great art—-the greatest, we dedicate this splendid

building.