The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-01-08

Otlieel Noa, 70 anl 81 Fourteenth Street,
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION,

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
A Bulletin from Director Myers, Of til,
MorgantowR statOn-ObisetS of thu
Work. m
Bulletin No. OF the West Virginia
Agricultural Experiment Station, al
Morgantown, John A. Myers, Director,
has been issued, from which we take the
following interesting extracts;
The West Virginia Agricultural Elk.
pertinent Station was organized in June,
1888, by the Board OF Regents Of the
West Virginia University accepting the
Congressional appropriation, dividing II
into separate funds, eleCting director,
appointing suitable committees and In,
dieatiug an outline Of the work to be un-
dettaken for the next year,
The Board finds itself without any
buildings for the Experiment Station,
without any farm for experimental work
and with no money, outside Of the re-.
stricted appropriation for building pur.
poses, with which toproylde either, The
Director found the Station without q
staff Of scientific workers and with no
place TO put them II he had them,
| II will thus be seen that We are start
ing with the foundation, II need not
be expected that the Station can accom-.
plish much scientific work until we have
had time to overcome the difficulties
facing US.
It Is hoped that the farmers OF West
Virginia will press the matter OF agri.
cultural education In our State go Ylgor-
ously In the near future that our Legis.
lature will be constrained TO provide for
the promotion oil more profitable sys'
TEN OF agriculture, The National gov.
eminent has been liberal to this State,
and particularly TO the farming classes,
in It's endeayor TO develop agricultural
Interests. The question may DO asked
very seriously, "What has our State
done to avail itself OF the munilCence OF
the general government" 10 what OK.
tent has 1t supplemented the efforts OF
our National government to develop the
agricultural interests Of this State and to
educate our farming classes? .
THE OBJECTS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL STA.
TON.
This is clearly given in the second sec.
ton OF what is known as the Hatch Act;
THAT II shall be the object OF said Elk.
pertinent Stations to conduct original
researches or verify experiments on the
physiology OF plants and animals; the
diseases to which they are seyerally sub.
ject, with remedies for the same; the
chemical composition Of useful plants at
their different stages Of growth; the
comparative advantages oil rotative crop:
ping as pursued under varying series
Of crops; the capacity OF new plants or
trees for acClimation, the analysis OF
soils and water; the chemical composition
OF manures, natural and artificial, with
experiments designed 10 test their com.
parative effects on crops OF different
kinds; the adaptation and value OF
grasses and forage plants; the compost.
ton and digestibility Of tho different
kinds OF food OF domestic animals; the
scientific and economic questions invol.
we'd in the production Of butter and
cheese and such other researches or OK.
pertinent bearing directly on the agricul-
tunl industry Of the United States as
may, in each case, be deemed advisable,
having due regard to the varying condi.
tions and needs Of the respective States
or Territories" From this It will be
seen that the whole range OF agricultural
science bearing upon agriculture NAV re.
Ceive attention. 40
The most serious question In our mind
is, whether the farmers Of the State will
take enough interest in the work and
assist to n sufficient extent TO make the
Station success. We ask them to help
US, TO study our work, to profit by our
failures, and to take advantage OF our
successes, and we promise to leave no
effort untried to make the Experiment
Station blessing to the farming inter.
ests OF the Suite.
We propose 10 press the development
OF the dairy interest In this State with
as much earnestness rs possible. De.
sides offering the advantages that It does
as an entering wedge for our expert.
mental work, 1t has the advantage OF
every other operation upon the lnrm,
when looked at from money-making
standpoint. In all other farm enter.
prlses, the farmer must wait from six
months TO year or more before he re.
Ceives any dividend from his investment.
In the case OF wheat, corn, or other crops,
the farmer must run tho risk OF q half
dozen accidents, as drouth, frost, rust,
insects, etc., and take the chances Of d
low market when the harvest has come.
His capital, his labor, his hopes are all
staked upon the chances Of bis crop
escaping the enemies, and prices not be-
ing depressed by the whims OF tho
"bears" Of the Chicago Exchange. q :
In pressing this matter to the atten-
ton OF our farmers, we'belieye we are
laying tho foundation for much greater
agricultural prosperity in our State, aud
those farmers who will profit by the ex.
perience elsewhere In this business, will
hnd 1t more profitable to engage in The