Japan. Imperial Agric. College of Sapporo, Japan. (Englisn Nitobe. IRLF 3M hfll MAIN LIBRARY-AGRICULTURE DO MAkN LJi3- THE AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA. IMPERIAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF SAPPORO, JAPAN. BY INAZO NITOBE, A.M., PH. D. PROFESSOR. PUBLISHED BY THE IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE SAPPORO. 1893. THE IMPERIAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF SAPPORO. THE War of Restoration over, the Japanese Gov- ernment turned its attention to more peaceful pur- suits. It began to divert the overflowing energies of the warrior class and the superabundant strength of the oppressed peasantry into new channels of industrial warfare and conquest. A field well suited for enterprises of this kind was not wanting. For some years preceding the Restoration (1868) foreign relations had been forced upon Japan ; and the contact with Russia in diplomacy brought vividly to mind the fact that the northern extremity of our Empire touched one end of the Czar's vast dominion. The northern islands of Japan, vaguely called Yezo, were for centuries a terra incognita among the peopl •: all that was told about, and unfortunately most readily accepted by them was that the region was the abode of a barbarian folk known as the Ainu, and that it was a dreary waste of snow and ice, altogether unfit for inhabitation by a race of higher culture. To Yezo, then, at once the northern frontier of the Empire and a land endowed with magnificent natural resources as yet untouched by human hand, 48254 the new Imperial Government wisely began to ex- tend its fostering care. A colonial office, entrusted with the work of developing the resources of the Islands (thereafter, i.e. from the 23rd of August, 1869, denominated the Hokkaido) and of defending them against possible attack from a foreign power, was organized on the 16th day of August, 1869, under the name " Kaitakushi." Appointed Vice-Governor in the summer of 1870, General Kiyotaka Kuroda, now Count and Minister of Communications, soon proved himself the de facto governor. He was charged with the task of setting the new office in motion. A man of great insight and of indomitable will, be betook himself to the work with character- istic zeal and earnestness. Two mouths after his appointment, in his reply to His Imperial Majesty's question as to his colonial policy, he dwelt upon education as a most potent factor in advancing the interests of the Hokkaido. Again three months later, he dwelt elaborately and emphatically upon the same theme, and prevailed upon the Govern- ment to send abroad some young men, in order that they might be prepared for the undertaking of civil service and pioneering labor. He saw that the fertile I virgin soil could be made to yield its richest treasures only under wise management. But where should he seek for wisdom ? Japan had long since forgotten the art of breaking up new land ; her agricultural system was too intensive to be applied to a newly- opened country ; her mining operations were too • ^"primitive to be followed on an extensive scale. In General Kuroda's mind there was one source whence he could expect wisdom and knowledge pertaining to — 3 — new settlements; and that was America. Thither, therefore, he himself proceeded in the fall of 1870. J He studied the rapid and wonderful progress of colonization in that country, and thought that the modus operandi at work there might well produce similar results in Japan. The simple adoption of American methods without trained hands to rightly direct them, would merely amount to an apish trick. His appreciation of education now rose higher than ever. What particularly struck him as a remark- able trait in American civilization was the immense influence which women wielded there, and the healthy tone it imparted to the society in general. Returning in July, 1871, lie presented a memorial to-i the Government, to the effect that the work of pio- I neering was not confined to the opening of rivers,1 and mountains, nor even to the augmenting of popu- lation, but that it must take cognizance of the all important labor of fostering human talents, of train- ing youthful minds — in one word, that the first great aim never to be lost sight of in founding a new colony, must be to provide itself with men and women, pro-^ perly equipped to become the leaders of a pioneering population. He closed his memorial with a sugges- tion to send abroad some young girls, who might some day become mothers in the infant colony. The suggestion was carried into practice, and several girls were taken over to America. Pursuant to his plan of education, General Kuroda started a germ of a school in Tokyo under the pat- ronage of the Kaitakushi. On the 21st of June, 1872, it was ready to receive students. It provided two courses, a general and a special. The latter embraced _ 4 — the rudiments of knowledge, the former included departments in Physics, Mechanics, Mining, Geo^ logy, Architecture, Surveying, Chemistry, Botany, / Zoology and Agriculture. It was the design of the / Kaitakushi to engage foreign specialists as instruct- ors. This comprehensive scheme of scientific edu- j cation — reminding one of a polytechnic institute— was, however, not carried out. Agriculture was """ really added to the curriculum for the first time in 1874, while the rest of the sciences enumerated above were never pursued to any extent. Most of the young men, who had been sent abroad, and who might have become teachers, came sadly short of the general expectation. The introduction of Agriculture was an earnest of the future development of the school into an Agricultural College. Interesting as the task may be, we can not follow in this place the career of the Girls' School, which had also been opened in Tokyo since October, 1872. Suffice it to remark that in the year 1875 both schools were removed to Sapporo. This town counting then a population of not more than eight thousand, had been newly laid out in regular squares after American fashion, and was to be the capital of the Hokkaido. Sapporo is situat- ed in a fertile plain of the valley of the Ishikari River, a branch of which, the rushing stream named the Toyohira, runs through the eastern portion of the town, supplying it with all the needed water. West of the town stretches an irregular mountain-chain, Affording a pleasing break in the otherwise monoto- nous scenery ; for on every other side the eye sweeps-' over one wide expanse, unbroken for miles until it ,can catch of a clear day the summit of the Optate- shike Range glimmering far away in the east. The atmosphere of this portion of Japan is clearer and drier than that of the main islands ; the climate is bracing and salubrious. Mother Nature here is well calculated to nurture youthful souls, and to endue them with the love of study and the love of work. Removed to the new surroundings, the school (let it be noted here in passing that the girl's school is £ow out of our consideration) did not remain long an institution of a secondary grade, as the sequel of our narrative will show. When General Kuroda visited America, he was given authority by the Imperial Government to ne- gotiate with the Government of the United States for the services of any one, whom he might choose