The Press., 1888-07-19
OF INTEREST TO FARMERS.


 ment station of Mansfield has issued Q bulletin to explain to the public the or eanization of the station, it's spirit, and the character of the work thus far begun.
 By act of congress provision is made for the appropriation of $15 ,0OQ per annum to each state and territory, for the mainten- anc6 of agricultural experiment. stations. sOf the fund for Connecticut, one-haf is, by act of it's last legislature, entrusted to the board of control of thB state experi- ment statiersi and .oneyhaR to the board of trustees Eof the Sk6rrs agricultural school, Wfl0S Ar&* His axceIlen0F, Phineasi O. Lounsbury, D. H.. Hyde, J. M.' Hubbard, Wm. E. Simonds, Henry O. Miles, T. s. Gold, J. P. Barstow, J. H. Hale, s. w. Johnson.
 Two members of the board, Messrs. T. s. Gold and J. M. Hubbard, with Prof. B. IF. Rooms, principal of the school, con- stitute the executive committee of the sta tion. The following are the officers of the station: W. O.. Atwater, director O. s. Phelps, vice. director; E. W. Rocky ood, chemist B. A. Bailey, assistant.
 At this early date 1t is not possible to outline exactly the future work of the sta tion.a The chief immediate attention will be given to experiments npon the growth, nutrition, and fertilizipg of plants, and the adaptability and value of different plants for culture in Connecticut. The work al ready begun includes:
 l.. Cooperative field experiments on the Effects of fertilizers and the production oi crops. These have been undertaken by the station in Mansfield, and by consid. erable number of farmers under the direc- tion of the station, in all the counties of the state.as z-. ...
 II. Vegetation experiments in pots and boxes, for studying the question of the sources of the nitrogen of plants.
 III. Arrangements for @ botanic gar den, to test the adaptability and values of grasses and other plants for culture in Connecticut. Fruits will also be tested, in accordance with the plan already estab- lished by the state board of agriculture, the Storfs school farm being the station for Holland County. the eroot-deyelopment of plants, and of the values of foods and feeding stuffs, by chemical analysis and experiments with the calorimeter. AS future circumstances allow, work in other lines will naturally be undertaken. .s
 The farm and farm-appliances and the labor of the students of the Storrs school are utilized for the work of the station. The botanic garden and other work at Mansfield and the field experiments throughout the state are under the imme- diate- charge of the vice director. The more purely chemical investigations are carried out by the director at Middletown, in the chemical laboratory of Wesleyan University, of which he has charge. This arrangement is decidedly advantageous to station as regards expense and otherwise, and telephone connections will make it en- tirely feasible Hs-t -8
 The field experiments with fertilizers are made by dividing experimental fields into plots, applying different fertilizing materials, and noting the amount and quality of the product. Those of the present season are of three kinds. The special object of the first, called -"experi- ments for soil tests" is to help farmers study the wants of their soils. In the ex- periments of !; theEsecond class, different duantities of She fertilizinR materials are used, the object being to get light upon the quee ton as to what amounts are most profitable. The experiments of the third class are somewhat more complicated, and are planned for study of the effects of nitrogenous fertilizers upon different crops, and the ability of the plants to gather nitrogen from 7inattlral sources. s. The ex- periments are explained and directions for their conduct are given in pamphlet pre- pared for this purpose, copies of which may be had on application to the station at Mansfield. .eS.l..
 Experiments for soil tests are carried out by the farmers on their own land, as a means of learning what fertilizing materi. 1---l 1 R..s most advantageously supplied.
 Experiments of this kind are being con. ducted by F. M. Hawley, New Canaan, Fairfield County ;. A. 0. Blake, New Brit ain, Hartford County TT. ,A Kirkham,