Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-13
Dailu Kfnneher 5Durnai.
Experiment Stations.

through judi-ious appropriations OF the
pubic monies, is one of the wisest. safest
and most benefcent measures of govern
ments. Nor nee1 an argument be at
tempted to prove that those Nations are
strongest and most prosperous which do
most to foster agriculture, and to develope
to their highest degree all their agricultur-
al interests. If facts were wanted to
prove either of these statements they
could be found in the histories of Eng
land, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzer-
land, Germany, and other OF the Nations
OF Continental Europe, where the sys-
TENS oil farming are lar in advance of our
own and where government appropria-
tons for these purposes exceed those
made by the United States government
and by all the States, in fourfold measure.
That our government acknowledges the
Justice as well as the Importance of ma
tional encouragement to agriculture is
proved by the amounts appropriated for
the United States Department of Agricul
ture, in all its varied schemes OF work :;
and especially by the passage some TWEEN
ty-fve years ago of the act for the estab-
lishment of agricultural colleges in the
several States and Territories. This act
was one OF the grandest and most bene-
fcent measures for agricultural progress
that our country ever attempted. and its
benefits have been far reaching and per-
petual. These colleges were for the pur
pose of giving special training in those
sciences and studies bearing particularly
upon the matter of practical farming, and
they have been the means of fitting a body
OF young men for the prosecution Of ag-
ricnltnre as business, such as the coun-
tries OF the Old World have long since
given to its agricultural population. But
the bill granting aid for the establishment
OF these colleges left them to the care of
the several States to further equip and en-
dow, and in no instance did the act by
which they were established, make provis-
ion for the carrying out OF any experiment
tai work in connection with their teach
ings.
Another measure of far greater impor.
lance to American agriculture than the
establishment of these colleges-because
OF more direct practical bearing upon the
business of agriculture-is to come before
Congress at its next session. This is
known as the Hatch bill for the "estab-
lisbment of agricultural experiment sta
tons in connection with the colleges es.
tablished in the several States under the
act of July 2, 1862" In order that the
! farmers of our State may fully under.
stand this great measure we state, in brief
the provisions of the proposed act, and 8
history of its origin. 1t was introduced
into Congress by Hon. w. w. Hatch Of
Missouri, and has not only received con
sideration in committee, but has beer
reported. discussed, amended, considered
in 'commiitee of the whole,' and is now
before the Senate where it was laid over
until the next coming session of Congress
1t provides for the establishment of ar
/ agricultural experiment station in connec
ton with the agricultural college of each
State; provides for their maintenance.
through public appropriations marks out
the work tor the stations to perform, and
provides that the results obtained at these
stations shall be published in bulletins
and reports. and transmitted through the
mails free of charge for postage to the
press. and to all individuals actually en-
gagged in farming who may request the
same-thus bringing them within reach
of every farmer in the land. That oul
readers may more fully understand the
wide and thoroughly practical. Gas well
as scientific,) scope of work which these
stations are to undertake, we copy the
objects of the same, as contained in Sec.
ton Two of the bill
Sec. q That ii shall be the object and duty of sale
experiment stations to corduct original researches
or verify experiments on the physiology of plants
and animals; the diseases TO which they sew
orally subject with he remedies for the same; the
chemical composition of useful plants at their diff
ferent stages of growth; the comparative advantage:
of rotative cropping as pursued under a varying
series of crops; the capacity of plants tree.
for acclimation within the isothermal limits repre-
scented by the climate of the several stations and
their vicinity; the analysis of soils and water the
chemical composition of manures, natural artif
cial with experiments designed to test their com
parstive effects on crops of different kinds; the
adaptation and value Of grasses and forage plants
| the composition and digestbity of the different
kinds of food for domestic animals 1.-THE scientific ant
economic questions involved in the production o.
butter and cheese and such other researches or ex
periments bearing directly the agricultural indus
try of the United states may in each case b,
deemed advisable having due regard to the varying
conditions and needs of the respective state,
and territories"
A measure of so great and practical q
value to the agriculture of our country
was never before attempted to be enacted
| by congress. II comes home TO the inter.
ests and the pecuniary advantages and
prospects of every farmer, whatever
specially he may be engaged in. or how
/ limited soeyer his operations may be car
ried on. Realizing that the fullest and
highest success in farming can only follow
from Intelligence in the business, and that