UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT 
 
 STATION. 
 
 BERKELEY, CAL. 
 
 E. W. HILGARD, Director. 
 
 BULLETIN NO, 80. 
 
 Progress of the Experiment Station Work, 
 
 The constant demand for information as to cial appropriations being asked therefor; and 
 the progress made in the establishment and that, in the event of the passage of the Hatch 
 work of our experiment stations, under the Act, the funds thu3 made available would be 
 Hatch Act, renders it expedient to publish at used to increase the scope and efficiency of the 
 this time a succinct account of the progress experimental work; and, notably, that "Cult- 
 made and of the plans now definitely adopted, ure Experiment Stations " should bs estab- 
 Ic may be stated that these run entirely within lished in the various climatic divisions of the 
 the lines indicated in a former bulletin (No. 78), State, so far as the means at command would 
 but as that document may not be in the hands permit. This course was in accord with the 
 or may have passed out of the memories of expressed desire of the State Grange and other 
 many interested, ita main points are given here representative agricultural bodies, whose in- 
 for information : fluence was exerted in behalf of the passage Of 
 
 Experimental work of the exact character set the Hatch Act. 
 forth in the " Hatch bill " has been carried on In pursuance of a report and recommenda- 
 at the University of California since 1876; the tions on the subject addressed by the under- 
 first report of work done was issued early in signed to the President of the University early 
 1877, and it has continued uninterruptedly ever in March, 1888 (Bulletin No. 78), the Board of 
 since to such extent as the appropriations made Regents promptly authorized him to take im- 
 from time to time by the R?gents and the mediate steps toward the establishment of the 
 Legislature would permit. During the two long- contemplated outlying stations, 
 financial years immediately preceding the pres- The following extract3 from the bulletin just 
 ent one the aggregate annual expenditure for referred to give, in brief, the points of view 
 experimental work has approached very nearly taken in the premises: 
 
 to the amount lately appropriated under the " In determining the proper location of the 
 Hatch Act. outlying stations, their distinctive objects, and 
 
 In several other States the State appropri- relation to the central station at Berkeley, 
 ations were withheld upon the passage of the should be kept clearly in view. The latter 
 Hatch Act, and the (subsequently discovered) must of necessity cover the whole ground of 
 failure of the latter to make an actual appro- investigation in agricultural science and prac- 
 priation caused serious inconvenience in these tice, as recited in the Act of Congress and as 
 cases and gave additional energy to the efforts, heretofore carried out so far as the means at 
 fortunately successful, to have the omission command permitted. The outlying stations, 
 remedied by a special Act of Congress, which on the contrary, are designed to be essentially 
 passed very early in the present session. Since 1 culture stations ' only, in which the adapta- 
 this supplementary Act, however, left the pro- tions of culture plants to the local climates and 
 visions of the Hatch Act unchanged, it became soils are to be tested systematically, in order 
 necessary to expend within practically four to relieve the practical farmer from the neces- 
 months' time, and yet within the limits of the sity of making such trials at his individual and 
 law, the full amount of the annual appropriation often very heavy expense in unproductive in- 
 of $15,000, Bince any unexpended balance would vestments, and the results of which, after all, 
 be forfeited. are not convincing to others and do not become 
 
 In California no withdrawal of the State aid part of public experience, 
 from the experimental work occurred or was With this object in view it is evident that in 
 intended, it being understood that the work the selection ot locations for such stations the 
 would be canied on as before bit without sr,e- following points should be primarily regarded: 
 
2 
 
 1. Each station should be ««~^ ^ 
 as large an area oi ^^^^s^ the number and general collocation 
 
 of these culture stations, 1 nave already, m 
 and communications, outlined 
 
 former reports 
 
 as large au cue* ui — >, * « 
 
 with respect to climatic conditions first of all, 
 and secondly with respect to soil conditions 
 
 %. Agricultural regions or which the .adapto- ^^^thT^rVrnises. They are based 
 Hons and peculiarities are stil nncertew l should my ^ views m p al subdiviBionB of 
 
 receive attention first, since it is here that the upon tne na k ed ^ 
 
 Sin ST. 'Tt^rn region, from San Diego to Santa 
 
 r fi0 thetrK Barbara, and inland to the Mojave and Cole 
 
 mav come into question may be intrusted to ra do deserts, 
 intelligent individuals. 2. Sm Joaquin 
 
 This implies, conversely, that when, after a 
 time which may vary from 10 to 20 or more 
 years, a culture station shall have fulfilled its 
 main objects, it may be dispensed with, or 
 transferred to another locality standing in need 
 of such work. Yet it may also turn out to be 
 desirable to maintain some outlying station or 
 stations permanently, and invest them with 
 additional functions in the prosecution of agri- 
 cultural experimentation. Under this point of 
 view it would seem to be desirable that the 
 lands occupied should be held in trust, or on 
 lease, rather than in fee simple, by the Uni- 
 versity.* 
 
 It is my impression that such tenure of land 
 for the purposes of a culture station can in 
 most, if not in all cases, be obtained by con- 
 sent or donation from the owner, with only 
 nominal expense to the institution. 
 
 As regards the necessary buildings, the Act 
 provides that a sum not exceeding $3000 may 
 be expended for buildings and repairs, the first 
 (this) year; but thereafter only $750 per year 
 shall be so applicable. This provision was evi- 
 dently intended to prevent the improper use of 
 the fund for extensive buildings, allowing only 
 what is considered absolutely essential, such as 
 dwellings for employes, barn, tool and propa- 
 gating house, to be defrayed out of the appro- 
 priation. This works well enough where, as in 
 the smaller Eastern States, one single station 
 answers all purposes. But where, as in Cali- 
 fornia, at least five stations (besides the central 
 one at Berkeley) will be required to represent 
 even remotely the several agricultural legions, 
 this provision leaves us without the means of 
 providing for their buildings. 
 
 From the offers and suggestions already re- 
 ceived, I believe that this difficulty can be 
 overcome by inviting subscriptions to defray 
 the cost of needed buildings, in the localities 
 or regions that will be benefited by their es» 
 tabliahment. It would manifestly be invidi- 
 ous to allot the whole $3000 permitted by law 
 to any one favored locality, unless it be the cen- 
 tral station at Berkeley. The latter, as you are 
 &ware,etands in themofct urgent need of buildings 
 that shall properly subserve the uses of the Ex- 
 periment Station, which at present has neither 
 office, nor collection-room, nor adequate labora- 
 tory accommodations. In conformity with this 
 view, I have already submitted to you sugges- 
 tions and plans by which, supplementing the 
 $3000 with an appropriate sum from the Uni- 
 versity Fund, a satisfactory building for the use 
 of the station may be constructed, mostly upon 
 foundations already existing. This is really the 
 first need for the successful management of the 
 
 already complex work, which will become ad- 
 
 *A tenure in fee simple, but with reversionary 
 clause for the case of the station being abandoned, has 
 been subsequently adopted by the Regents. 
 
 valley, from the Tejon 
 mountains to Stockton. * 
 
 3. Sacramento valley, from Stockton north- 
 
 ^4. Foothills of the Sierra, substantially from 
 Fretno to Tehama county. 
 5. Coast Range region. 
 
 It is impossible to make fewer divisions, and 
 consequently five outlying culture stations is the 
 minimum number that can at all represent the 
 State." . _ 
 
 Shortly after the publication of Bulletin 78, 
 tenders of land and of funds sufficient for the 
 needed improvements were received from the 
 following counties, in the order here named: 
 Amador county, for the " Foothills station; " 
 San Luis Obispo county, for the station repre- 
 senting the Southern C ast Range region; Tu- 
 lare county, for the San Joaquin Valley station. 
 Soon after several suggestions and one definite 
 offer (the latter from Mr. F. A. Kimball of Na- 
 tional City) were also received from the South- 
 ern region. But a discussion of the time and 
 funds at command led to the conclusion that it 
 would be unsafe to involve ourselves in the es- 
 tablishment of more than three stations during 
 the first year, and until experience should have 
 yielded some more definite data in respect to 
 the first cost and running expense* of such es- 
 tablishments. Moreover, the shortness of the 
 time before the expiration of the financial year 
 (June 30th) would render a full investigation of 
 a larger number of localities as to their fitness, 
 physically impracticable. 
 
 In each of the above counties, the choice be- 
 tween several tracts was given. Each of these 
 was personally examined by the writer, two 
 visits to each county being made, and the final 
 choice was based upon the current consideration 
 of the points mooted in Bulletin 78, with that 
 of convenient location and willingness of resi- 
 dents to give financial or other aid. A full ac- 
 count of these points would be too lengthy for 
 the present publication, and is reserved for the 
 annual report; but the subjoined summary state- 
 ment regarding the establishment of and prog- 
 ress thus far made in the several stations 
 (named in the order of their acceptance) will 
 convey the information now called for. 
 
 1. The Foothill Station. — This station was 
 established first, under the enthusiastic and ef- 
 ficient initiative of Senator A. Caminetti of 
 Jackson, Amador county. After much consid- 
 eration of the respective merits of hills and val- 
 leys in the premises, the choice fell upon a tract 
 situated about A\ miles a little east of north of 
 the town of Jackson, the county seat. Accord- 
 ing to the levelings of the Amador ditch, which 
 passes through it, and a topographical survey 
 made by a volunteer party of University 
 students, its highest point is 200 feet abnve the 
 ditch, which itself is there at about 1S50 feet 
 elevation; making the average hight above the 
 
sea about 2000 feet. This, according to the best 
 testimony available, is the hight at which frosts 
 are least liable to injure delicate fruits, includ- 
 ing the Citrus tribe; and the tract possesses the 
 special advantage of including within it* limits 
 three of the most important soils of *the foot- 
 hills region, viz., the red "slate" soil, the 
 granite soil, and the quartz gravel soil. Its 
 natural vegetation embraces a very full assort- 
 ment of the trees and shrubs cf the lower " foot- 
 hills," including the Buckeye and Toy on. The 
 main tract of 22 acres was donated by Senator 
 John Boggs of Colusa. But as this lacked a 
 representation of ceitiin desirable features of 
 soil and exposure, an addition of Bix acres was 
 made on the west, by a donation from Mr. Mc- 
 K^y, and a tract of seven acres was added on 
 the north by Messrs. Trabuccoand Oneto, com- 
 pensation being made them for the Urge stand- 
 ing timber. 
 
 The improvement of the tract was carried out 
 on a very liberal scale by a committee of citi- 
 zens. A new road was graded 1£ miles up to 
 the land from the county road. The main tract 
 wax fenced with a board-and-wire fence, also 
 grubbed and plowed. Pipes for water supply 
 were laid from the ditch both to the central hill 
 on which a reservoir for irrigation is located, 
 and to the higher hill upon which the dwelling 
 is to be placed, and from whence it will com- 
 mand a wide view among the mountains and 
 over the Sacramento valley, and as far as Mt. 
 Diablo. The two-story dwelling with glass 
 propagating-house, as well as stable and tool- 
 house, are now in progress of construction, in 
 general accordance with plans furnished by the 
 University. 
 
 The two exterior tracts have been fenced, 
 and the reservoir of 25,000 gallons capac- 
 ity constructed, at the expense of the 
 station fund ; a water power and pump will 
 be placed in the ditch by consent of the 
 Ditch Company, who also liberally agree to 
 supply gratuitously the needed water. It is, 
 however, intended to use irrigation as sparingly 
 as poesible, in order to prove what can be done 
 without it in the foothill region. 
 
 2. The station for the Southern Coast Range 
 has been established under the initiative of J. 
 V. Webster, E<q , of Creston, San Luis Obispo 
 county, and is intended to represent the 
 largest interior valley of the Coast Range, 
 drained by the Salinas river. In its lower por- 
 tion the valley of the Salinas, three to four 
 miles wide, is open t) the coast winds, which 
 control its climate. Above Soledad it gradually 
 contracts and ascends considerably, being for 
 some distance not much wider than the shal- 
 low, sandy river-bed, although not flanked 
 by high mountains. Above San Miguel the 
 valley again expands, and finally broadens out 
 into a level or slightly undulating country, 
 traversed by the upper tributaries of the 
 Salinas, chief among which are the Huer- 
 Huero and Estrella. From the latter stream 
 the whole region, picturesquely dotted with oak 
 groves that give it a park-like appearance, is 
 often designated as "the Estrella Plains," 
 although that designation belongs properly to 
 the more restricted and partly timberless area 
 immediately adjoining Eitrella creek itself. 
 From above Templeton (the present railroad 
 terminus) to San Miguel its length is about 20 
 miles, while from the Salinas, near Paso Robles, 
 
 eastward to the Cholame range its greatest 
 width is about 14 miles. As within these 
 limits there is scarcely any waste land, and the 
 soil when well cultivated is very productive 
 without irrigation, this region constitutes one 
 of the largest continuous areas of agricultural 
 land in the State, outside of the Great Valley. 
 As yet it is but thinly settled and its productive 
 capacity imperfectly understood, hence it is 
 eminently worthy of being made the subject of 
 exhaustive culture experiments. 
 
 From among several desirable locations of- 
 fered in this region, a tract of 20 acres situated 
 within two miles of Paso Robles, on the plat- 
 eiu, about three fourths of a mile ea^t of the 
 Salinas river, and 80 feet above it, and offered 
 by Mr. J. V. Webster, was finally accepted. 
 A subscription toward the erection of the nec- 
 essary buildings was raised by Mr. Webster, 
 chiefly among the citizens of Paso Robles and 
 Templeton, and neighborhood. 
 
 The tract is a parallelogram 1700x512^ feet, 
 and fronts on the new public road from Paso 
 Robles to the Huer-Huero settlements. Like 
 the foothill station, it contains representations 
 of three of the most important soils of the re- 
 gion; and the larger part of it (having the 
 light, sandy soil of the plains) was quite heavily 
 timbered with the prevalent "blue oak" 
 {Quercus Douglasii), here mostlynot distinguish- 
 ed from the white oak {Q. lobata), which occu- 
 pies only the lower ground. This timber has 
 (with the exception of a few fine trees) been 
 grubbed out, the stumps cut off and taken from 
 the holes, and the latter leveled over. A sub 
 stantial six-board plank fence with redwood 
 base, so constructed as to be rabbit-proof, has 
 been built around the tract, and an " automatic " 
 gate placed at the front entrance. A well has 
 been dug near the site of the dwelling, in which 
 water has been reached at the depth of 95 feet. 
 This is the only well for many miles on the 
 plateau level, and itself demonstrates a fact of 
 considerable importance to the region. The 
 supply is thought to be large, bdt awaits the 
 putting in of a deep-well pump before it can 
 be definitely gauged. 
 
 Plans for the dwelling and outbuildings have 
 been forwarded to Mr. Webster, who will push 
 their construction with his accustomed energy. 
 
 3. In the establishment of the San Joaquin 
 Valley Station the initiative was taken by 
 Tulare Grange, among whose members Messrs. 
 B. F. Moore and Win. F. Stewart have been 
 especially active in forwarding the work, serv- 
 ing as a committee whose task alone in accom- 
 panying the writer to the numerous locations 
 offered was not light. Toe selection was dif- 
 ficult on account of the highly specialized char- 
 acter of the soils of the Kaweah delta, within 
 which a location fairly representative of the 
 11 plains soils " from Kern to Stanislaus was not 
 easy to find. It is believed, however, that a 
 thoroughly representative tract has been found 
 on the low ridge on which Tulare City is 
 located, about a mile and a half southeast from 
 the town, where Mr. B. F. Moore offered a 20- 
 acre tract, so selected as to include a few acres 
 of M alkali land" (the reclamation of which will 
 form one cf the most important problems to b3 
 solved), together with the sandy loam with a 
 light hardpan foundation, that scarcely varies 
 in its nature and (outside of the Fresno region) 
 
4 
 
 forms the bulk of the soil of the San Joaquin 
 plains. 
 
 A guaranteed subscription of $3000 toward the 
 cost of the erection of buildings was promptly 
 made by citizens of Tulare City and neigh- 
 borhood. Flans for these have been forwarded, 
 and their construction, it is underttood, will 
 commence immediately. 
 
 Irrigation being essential in this region, and 
 ditch-water being uncertain in supply os yet, it 
 was concluded to bore a well, or several if nec- 
 essary, in order to reach and utilizs the abun- 
 dant water supply which is commonly found 
 here at about 12 feet depth, but which becomes 
 apparently inexhaustible when the gravel 
 stratum lying at 30-50 feet depth is tapped. 
 A ten-inch well has therefore been sunk to the 
 depth of 60 feet, with the usual result of an 
 abundant rise of water to within 12 feet of the 
 surface. A "triple-action" irrigating pump 
 with horse-power has been sent on and will 
 shortly be put Up under the superintendence of 
 Mr. B. F. Moore, the donor of the land, who 
 has also rendered most efficient services in over- 
 looking the putting-up of the fence; which is a 
 " six-board," like that at the Coast Range sta- 
 tion, and will likewise be provided with an 
 
 automatic " gate. Mr. Moore proposes to ir- 
 rigate and plow the land, as a preparation for 
 the season's work, so soon as the pump and 
 power shall be in position. 
 
 Occupation of the Stations. — Considering un- 
 avoidable as well as unforeseen delays, it is prob- 
 able that none of the three stations will be 
 ready for occupation before October 1st. It is, 
 of course, highly desirable that the coming sea- 
 son's work should be laid off and begun at the 
 earliest moment possible, and the selection and 
 training of men competent to serve as foremen 
 in charge has been in progress for several 
 months. 
 
 It is perhaps hardly necessary to specify the 
 experimental cultures to be at once iuitiated at 
 these stations. Roughly speaking, they will 
 come mainly under the following chief heads: 
 Orchard fruits, grape varieties, forage plants, 
 cereals, and other miscellaneous culture 
 plants. In view of the small area of the station 
 
 grounds, and of the existence of special stations 
 for that purpose, forest trees will not be experi- 
 mented on to any large extent. 
 
 The Experiment Station Building at B*rbley. 
 In conformity with the recommendation made 
 in Bulletin 78, a handsome and substantial 
 building containing the necessary laboratories, 
 workrooms and offices for the experimental work, 
 has been erected on the University grounds at 
 Berkeley; partly on foundations already exist- 
 ing and used as a viticultural laboratory. The 
 dimensions of this building are 46x9*2 feet; three 
 brick-walled cellars with concrete floors under- 
 lie one-half of the brick basement, which has six 
 workrooms and two storerooms. The super- 
 structure is of wood. The main floor is occu- 
 pied by the chemical laboratDries, a large col- 
 lection-room (also to be used for the instruction 
 of classes in agriculture and viticulture) and the 
 director's office. The second floor contains of- 
 fices and workrooms for other than chemical 
 work. Two of these will at once be occupied 
 by the assistant superintendent of the experi- 
 mental grounds at Berkeley, Mr. E. J. Wick- 
 son; while others remain to be occupied here- 
 after by such needful additions to the working 
 force as will obviously soon be required, among 
 which, a " State Entomologist " is perhaps the 
 most pressing need. 
 
 A spacious attic will afford additional storage 
 and workroom for certain purposes when neces- 
 sary. 
 
 The laboratories, collection and workrooms 
 are now being fitted up with the necessary work 
 tables, cases and shelving, partly new and part- 
 ly transferred from the rooms heretofore oc- 
 cupied elsewhere. A complete M steam appa- 
 ratus," (steam bath for chemical use — such as di- 
 gestions, evaporations, etc.,) with connections 
 for steam-drying chamber, distilled water, and 
 other distillations, has been ordered from Ger- 
 many and is expected to arrive within a month. 
 
 It is hoped that the foregoing statements will 
 indicate that the time which has elapsed since 
 appropriations became available under the 
 Hatch Act, has been diligently utilized. 
 
 Berkeley, Aug, t9, 1888. E. W. Hilgard.