Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
For the VERMONT FARMER.
The Experiment Station.

The announcement recently made through
the agricultural press Of the country ofthe es-
tablishment Of the first experimental station"
in this country at Middletown, o., aud the still
more recent announcement Of the establishment
of the "second experiment station" in our own
state should bo hailed with satisfaction by
all, That these "stations" will prove Of very
great value to our people in assisting in the
solution of many Of the practical questions
at present before our farmers, dairymen,
stock breeders, fruit and wool growers, no one
can doubt. But though the above announce
ments are literally true, there is fear lest we
may do injustice to those institutions through
out the country, which under other names
have for years been engaged upon similar
work to that which is to occupy our exper-
ment stations, aud it seems but just that we
be reminded Of what has already been &C.
complished, and of what, at present, is being
done in our country, if not in our state. In-
deed, within our own borders individuals
have by careful observation, study and ex.
pertinent wrought results comparing favor
ably with anything Of which these more elab-
crate stations may justly boast. What but
an experiment station was the farm of Mr..
Hammond, upon which were produced II race
Of sheep which astonished the world What
but another station those shops of Mr.. Hol-
brook out of which have come those admir-
able plows2 No better results may be ex-
pected from any station in fruit culture, than
DR.. HOskins has wrought out upon his New
port farm; nor need we hope to see princi-
Piles, more strictly scientific, carried out with
more rigorous exactness or moro excellent,
results, than at that station at Charlotte
where Mr.. Pringe has in his results almost
seemed to defy competition.
But it may be argued that these aud such
as these are but the results Of private individ-
uals and for private ends though We have
had abundsnt evidence these past few years
at our meetings Of the board Of agriculture
how ready these same men have been to show
themselves Of the number Of those not only
"rich in good works, but willing to commu-
nicate." Indeed, it has been the occasion
for frequent comment on the part of those
without the state, who have watched the
proceedings Of the board meetings, this read
iness on the part of those of our people com.
potent to give advice and instruction. to re-
spond to the call of the board for aid in their
work, and it is not detracting at all from
the merits Of the "board" themselves to say
that their great success and usefulness has
been in q very great measure due to this
active cooperation.
But besides these private stations, to which
we owe so much, it will be remembered that
in many Of the states accepting the agricul
tural land grant, there have been connected
with the agricultural colleges thus founded
experimental farms, prominent among which
may be mentioned those connected with the
Massachusetts, agricultural college at Am
herst, with the Illinois industrial university
at Champaign; with the Michigan agricul
tural college at Lansing and We hardl,
need to be reminded of the very successful
work which has been done by many Of them
In reference 10 our investigation concern
ing the "cireulatiou of sap in trees" carried
through by President Clark of Amherst ag
ricultural college, by which it is safe to sa.
, our knowledge of this interesting and prasti
cally valuable subject was increased man.
fold. Professor Agassiz declared "that thu
production Of this one paper has amply pal,
for every dollar which the state has, thu
far, bestowed upon that institution"
Besides these it should not bs.forgotte
that in many Of the states the board of agri
culture have carried on Investigations priu
cpally in reference to commercial fertilizers
just such work, in fact, as has from the frs
been one of the chief concerns of several @
the most famous experiment stations in Ell
gland aud upon the continent, and just sue
, work as is at present engaging those in charg
of the station Just established at Middleton
aud mentioned among tho desirable service
which our own station shall continue to d
Tor US. In fact, no one can doubt but thS
through the several analyses Of fertilizer
!. made under direction of our board of agr
o culture from time to time, saving has bee
,. effected to the state at large quite equal
amount to the sum annually appropriated ft
m carrying on the whole work Of the boar
5. Throughout New England it will be four
m that wherever this chemical control has bee
|. kept up, the quality Of these commercial fe
IS tilizcrs has steadily improved without al
5 increase in price, and in this respect our G
in perienoe is identical with that in EnglaI
il and Germany.
We congratulate the board and the stat
then, upon the establishment Of this expel
mental station, and feel confident that 4
people will SOC to it that it be speedily pr
vided with whatever is necessary to equip
re for its good work. PETER COLLIER.
it Burlington, FEB. 2l.
A [lt was not the purpose Of the board,
Id our own, to detract from the great cree
w Justly due to the institutions Professor @
ar lier has mentioned, or the Bussey InstitC
cd at Jamaica Plain, or the numerous indivi
tn uals, who are laboring with such zeal a
nd ability to throw light upon the many agric
he tural truths yet snvelOped in Obscurity.
les deed. the farm of every enthusiastic and
p, telligent farmer is In some sense an expe
ss, msnt station, and though the results wrong
DIV out there may never be given.tO the wor
70 thay ara freouantlv worthy of nublioaLion