The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-01
Agricultural.
T. H. HOSklNS, M. D., Editor,
Newport, Vermont.
Experiment StatiOns---A State
Chemist.

lhSs anu tluC az
stations, like the one established by
the state of New York, and which is
now under the able control of DR.. T..
Lewis Sturtevant. The former are use
full and necessary, as a part of the po-
lice system of the state; but the only
excuse for the name which is given to
them is to be found in the hope which
doubtless attended their foundation,
that they would in time grow up to
their name. As they now exist they
bear about the same relation to a gen.
uine agricultural experiment station
that laboratory set up for the analysis
of flour and baking powders would bear
to bakery-or perhaps, more exactly,
to cooking-school.
A true agricultural experiment sta
ton has for its function exactly what
its name describes-the making of ex-
periments, the purpose of which is to
investigate the unsolved questions con-
nected with the practical agriculture of
the state or country which establishes
them. These unsolved questions are
very numerous, and many of them are
intricate, requiring much laborious eX-
ertion and the tabulation and compar-
ison of results over a long series of
years. Very high qualifications are re-
Quired in the head of such an estab-
lishment, and though in some minor
matters valuable results might be OBJ
tanned without great delay, yet in most
of the proper subjects of investigation
the attainment of perfectly reliable
knowledge would result only from
work that could not be hurried. For
plainly, if this knowledge were easily
and quickly won, there would be no
need of the states taking the matter in
hand. The easy questions have already
been answered, and nearly every farmer
can test the correctness of these
answers on his own farm. When the
state is called upon to help agriculture
in this way, it should only be to provide
for that sort of work which the ordi-
nary farmer cannot do for himself
the sort of work which takes time,
money and trained skill, in order to
obtain trustworthy results.
Some minor work, indeed, might
properly be required of such an expert
ment station. 1t would be quite proper
to charge it with the testing of all known
varieties of plants in ordinary cultiva-
ton, with the purpose of settling their
comparative value on different soils,
and under different treatment in the
way of manuring, tillage, etc. Incident
to this would be the equally proper
work of testing so-called novelties, and
the sitting which would be necessary
to show how many identical kinds are
being distributed, ignorantly or fraudu
lently, under different names. Such
work as this has been done at the New
York station with beans, corn, potatoes,
tomatoes, oats and other crops, and
the results obtained are valuable to the
public.
Still, the heavy work of such an in
stitution, in order to justify its support
from the public funds, should be done
for the solution of great problems in
agriculture. The best model we have
for such work is that set at Rothamsted,
in'England, by Sir J. b. Lawes. There,
experiments begun nearly forty years
ago are still going on, and the signifi
canoe of some of these is only now
beginning to be realized. so that their
real teachings can be made available in
practical agriculture.
Such an experiment station requires
money, and good deal of ii. 1t also
still more requires men who are not
easy to find and when found will also
be found to be in request for other
kinds of work, for which large compen-
sation is willingly given by rich and in
diligently managed corporations, or
combinations of capital. This being
the case, and all the above-named facts
being taken into account, it is quite
easy W pCC thdt viz luiiitlo Vi tiO
smaller and poorer states are not likely
to ask for, or favor, the setting up of
genuine, well-equipped and manned
experiment stations, at least until the
success of those already established has
amply demonstrated their local useful
ness. On the other hand, any cheap
attempt at dabbling in this class of
work, with no proper conception OF
what it is, what it will cost and what
kind of men it will require to make ii
effective, is to be earnestly deprecated.
Better do nothing in the matter than
set cheap fools to fooling with it.
But as to fertilizer-control stations
Every state is bound to have one as
the only protection its farmers can have
against the fraudulent fertilizer trade
In our judgment this would be best ac
complished by the appointment of {
state chemist, with suitable labora
tory at the capital, whose functions
Il .tr.1 H., Il.