ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OREGON AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND EXPERIMENT STATION. 1898. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. To His Excellency, W. P. Lord. Governor of the State of Oregon: SIR: In compliance with the laws of this state as president of the Board of Regents of the Oregon Agricultural College, I have the honor of submitting to you this the twenty-eighth annual report of this college for the year ending June 30, 1898. The experiment station provided for by act of congress approved March, 1887, was by act of the Legislative Assemby of the State of Oregon approved February 25, 1889, placed under the control of the Board of Regents of the Oregon Agricultural College, and in conjunction with said college under the management of said Board of Regents. This completes the tenth year of the work of said experimental station. In submitting to you this report of the work of the college and station for this year, it is a matter of great satisfaction to me to be able to state to you that this year's work of the college and station has proved fully equal to the work of these institutions for the most successful year of their history. Professor T. M. Gatch, as president of the college and director of the station, has during the year fully demonstrated and proved himself as eminently able and well qualified to manage and direct the great and important work of this institution, confided one year ago to his charge. He has fully sustained and equaled all that could have been claimed for him by his most sanguine friends. He has received the hearty support and assistance of each and all of the professors, teachers and employes under his charge. In fact there has been nothing during the entire year to which my attention has been called, that would indicate any but the most earnest and zealous co-operation by all the members of the college and station staff. This is commendable alike to Professor Gatch and each of the professors, teachers and employes of this institution. The enrollment of students during the year was three hundred and thirty-six. This will indicate to you, when compared with the attendance in previous years, that this institution is being fully sustained. The young men and women who have attended this institution during this year are justly entitled to favorable commendation for their good conduct. It reflects credit upon them, their parents, friends, and the professors and teachers of this institution. This is especially gratifying to the managers of this institution. The number graduated this year is twenty-nine. Their attainments will compare favorably with the attainments of any previous year's class. Each year young men and women from different sections of this state are here being prepared and instructed in those principles of an industrial education that will fit and qualify them to be more useful and better citizens of this great country. We cannot refrain from expressing to you our appreciation of the manifest desire of the graduates and pupils of this school to respond and offer their services to our state and nation when assailed. At one time it seemed that this college would be almost deserted by the young men in attendance, so great was their desire to respond to the call of the President of the United States recently made upon you for Oregon's quota of men to assist in vindicating and upholding our national honor. While we regret the necessity of a resort to arms, we cheerfully commend these brave and loyal young men for their patriotism. Their zeal and earnest desire to respond clearly demonstrates the wisdom and good policy of the general government in requiring that institutions of this character should give military instructions. This should be sustained and encouraged by all good law-abiding citizens of this state. Lieutenant W. Geary, of the 19th United States Infantry, who was assigned as military instructor at this college, upon the declaration of war, asked to be re-assigned by the Department to his regiment, and his request was granted, depriving this institution of the services of one whose action should be commended. He would not have been, in my judgment, a proper instructor for our young men if he had not wanted to go to the front. His action should |