New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-08
SCIENCE AND FARMING.

IMBhOfED AGRICULTURE IN NI.M-yERgEY
THE ENPEsrTsNT STATION An woRK-raR Rureres
COLLEGE MISUNDERSTANDING FERryIIzEns
AND roDDERs-wTIY DOES THE SWEET POTATO
| LANGUIsH g-sUGAR N THE LEGISLATURE.
lFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE rnrnr-Nrl
! BRUNSWICK, 4. j., Aug. 6.-Tbe New
Jersey State Agricultural Experiment Station az New
Brunswick was created only sixteen months ago by
legislative enactment bur It has already been making a.
self quietly useful several fields inquiry and IL
organized and equipped for sti more varied anu en-
cient service The Station bulletins issued from time 10
time have been models Of clear statement and have
given the results Of laborious and accurate invest
on Subjects of immediate moment TO farmers
The work accomplished has been recognized by
competent authorities possessing the highest scientific
Vaueand what is now most needed that the conserya
i've farmers Of the State should generally arouse
themselves 10 realization OF the fact thai Station
was established and prepared TO render them pracf
cal assistance and is altogether worthy their conn
dencc and cooperation.
BY the liberay OF the Trustees OF Rutgere colleca
suitable rooms for the OF the Station have been pro-
v1ded in Van Nest Hall, where a well-apponted lalu
tory has been fitted up. The farm belonging TO the A.
rcutural College has nominaly connection with te
station But inasmnch DR.. George H. Cook g. az once
director or the Station and Professor OF grcuure In t
College there is much practical cooperation between the
two TO the Stations advantage. The State compelled the
college TO purchase this farm a condition OF receiving
the Income Of the National Land Scrip for agricultural
coileges But the institution Rutgers IS in reality
school Of general and applied science and The farm is
something of burden. Naturally the College insists
that the farm shah support itself such restriction
crpples its usefulness for experimental purposes No
doubt would be wise policy for the State 10 possess
the land in fee. and then use it. not
for the production OF many bushels
of tumips quarts of milk, but the discovery Of
facts relating to agriculture which farmers have neither
the opportunity training search for as they should
the farm itself is beautifully situated "A plateau Just
outside the limits of the city it overlooks ts
wen watered and drained, and although not OF TIE
highest natural fertility it easily ana admirably
adapted in every way for the purpose tue Station
From its natural advantages and accessibility there is no
reason why it should not become under control tho
most famous and useful farm in the country.
During the past year the chemist OF the Station Arthur
Neale has been largely occupied ia examining COM
mercia fertilizers to ascertain whether sellers complied
with the law requiring printed ANALYSIS of
the composition OF the article TO be attached TO each
package sold in the State Fertilizers to the amount OF
$2OO0,0O0 annually manufactured in the State
large quantities imported and important that
farmers should he protectel against market led with
adulterated and spurious Station bulletins
have given an analysis OF nearly hundred different
varieties. testing the accuracy OF the formulas the
packages and giving the commercial value of each ar
tce based the prices OF it's constituent parts
These analyses and their translation into and
cents tell the farmer whether he paying dearly for
his nitrogen and >phosphorc acid and potash. They
only pretend, however, to give commercial and NOT
agricultural values The farmer by study
and experience what particular plantood is required
by his soil But here the Station continues its aid
by giving intelligent direction to the study and
nstituting experiments in different parts OF the State
for local instruction
most interesting series bulletins has also been
issued recording the results fodder analyses and the
value of various Kinds OF ratons tested by careful x
pertinent, for promoting the healthy growth and de
velopment OF domestic animals and for pro-
ducing milk Of the richest quality. Different
breeds Of cattle have also been tested by
way of comparison, and although the
problems OF physiological chemistry to be solved are 20
Intricate that established conclusions can only be
reached after patient Investigation through series OF
years, prosperous beginning has been made. Even the
methods OF investigation explained i'm the bulletins
Will prove OF positive utility by encouraging among
cnterprising farmers the habit accurate observation
and experiment Besides these matters OF general in
tersst certain subjects OF rather local Importance have
Den cohslueed al nc Station, such the deprcdations
OF the army worm. the raspberry rust aud dc Gran.
been an aericnitnrs stS,l S s S S~ee, potato has
IN certain soils where other continue 70 he
neriHH an, am Vigorous this crop is doomed 20
ioss iast year rom THIS mysterious malady estimated
infected farm was s,ec, duanty OF SOL IRON an
Faicnhe for periods of 90 and 100 hours and in The
prove to be sickly the experiment viii overthrow tie
i some mlcroscepie insect or fungus IS the
continued hest has DESTROYED an germs of animal ana
Ine contrary will indicate thar the cause has beel
probably some living orssDism Plaps as - dherriSre.
IN boxes hlod with soil from the aud treated
pantfood has been exhausted This ia one of several
house N-N s'NN--
Last winter the New-Jersey LEGISLATURE possed a law
Whch gives bounty OF cent for pound OF sugar
maue RON Dees or sorghum raised in The State and ~
Ton Tor the sorghum from which the sugar Is
manufacturers Ii was represented by the gentlemen
WAC were so eager to sweeten things ccncr-
aa,ly, ana more particularly "develoD
direction THAT the machinery for sugar was eXe
sNc ana the industry needed this encoura The
bounty was therefore voted for five years Now mas
nuch as fertile acre win yield from fifteen 10 twenty
TONS 81 cane II viii he seen that anything like preyS-
ht desire 10 develop the industry drain the
feasufy very dry. II IL had occurred the ecs afye
Soons that the state had already furnished itself with
eplls OF experts competent 10 deal with subject
he Nhoie matter would have properly been submitted 10
the station Tor trial and the basis repor ed ves
Eanons intelligent action cond have been taken
As IL is, sixteen plots the COLLEGE
Ialhl are planted with different varieties Of
ana treated with different fertilizers The cane
Will ne ground and pressed, the juice classified and *
ahmed WITH the poaTisoope 10 ascertain the percentage
OF cane sugar which il VIII yield The etsns
s ran anu the next annual report VIII those
formation as TO the most promising methods cntivaf
IN sorghum a 10 the relative ricnneSs 0f
oHtfcnt varieties, aud the length
ing which each can be prOhtaby before lcs ar
iests work ON tho other hand the al OF tp.yJ-
leoge n regard 10 sugar culture in Ncw-ersey Will not
ne seriously augmented by the reseurcedeveoper al
though much valuable experience state houniies
before the state gets rid OF the win cost the taXpave
ceough TO support an Experiment Station FOR Quarter
OF a century at least.