St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-28
EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
Good Effect of the Appropriation
of the Hatch Bill.

The aid given the experiment stations
in the various states, under the Hatch
bill, is already showing useful results,
although, of course, there has not been
time for elaborate tests. The Kansas
station has issued its first bulletin, and
concludes with this suggestIon:
The farmers of the state plainly have
duty in connection with the station.
Experimental investigations are valua-
bic to the farmer chiefly that they sug-
gest to him new lines of thought and
action. He who accepts, without
further thought, results obtained at the
experimental station is as much in error
as is his neighbor who completely
results of experiment must be finally
confirmed by actual experience upon
the farm before they can be said to have
practical value.
The following extract from the bulle-
tin of the Indiana station indicates what
is proposed:
Among the most important subjects
are those connected with the exhaustion
and the renovation of the soil.
We cannot expect the soil to respond
with continued harvest, if subjected
to constant robbery. Taking money
out of the soil and putting it into bank
lIUN IICii Uut III Will Oe
likely to make poor soGs. The safest
bank of deposit for farmer is his farm.
We must experiment with new
varieties of grain, grasses and fruits,
for the purpose of securing a better
quality and larger yield. We must try
to find out the best methods of seeding.
We must experiment in regard to
the adaptability of soils to the various
crops, and in regard to crop rotation, the
use of fertilizers and the gathering, cur
ing and preservation of farm products.
We must experiment upon the best
methods of feeding and taking care of
stock, land upon the production of butter
and cheese. X The question how
to produce larger and better crops is an
important one, but the question how to
prevent the enormous destruction of
grains, fruits and of domestic animals
through disease, is also an important
one, Millions of dollars are lost in
Indiana every year by improper meth
DDS of cultivation, millions by fungus
diseases, and millions by insect rayages.
The Ohio station has issued three bull
letins. No. 2 relates to small fruits and
vegetables, giving the results of last
years comparison of some of the newer
varieties, together with the expert
ments on potatoes, peas and tomatoes.
hC iOouIto VI pOIdtO
agree with those obtained at the Mime
sofa station, in that whole potatoes pro-
duced better yields than cut seed, the
rate of yield decreasing with the size of
the pieces. AS general rule, the
smaller the cuttings the less the yield,
both of large and small potatoes, but
twO-eye cuttings are recommended as
most satisfactory on account of saving
of seed if larger cuttings is used, and
the diminished risk of securing a stand
from smaller cuttings. The largest
yield per acre 346 bushels, resulted from
whole seed; second, 33S bushels from
seed cut in two lengthwise; third, 1857
bushels from whole potatoes; fourth,
261.6 bushels from two-eye cuttings. The
average of two years, with whole pota-
toes, was 1858 bushels: with potatoes
cut in two lengthwise, 1862 bushels;
two eyes, 1903 bushels, and one eye,
only lis bushels.