Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28
Laid Bare for the Benefit of Farmers
by Government Aid.
WORK OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
Thirty Specialists for Pennsylvania, Ohio
and West Virginia.
THE MACHINERY OF TIE SERVICE
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH ]

connection with the regular educational
work. Few of the colleges had facilities
for determining truths of general value to
the farmer, and the practical side of agri-
culture was generally lost sight of in their
investigations. Experimental work was
only an incidental part of their vocation,
and while illustrations of the laws which
control all operations in agriculture were
freely given in the laboratory and lecture
room, yet on the farm inquiries into the
operations of nature by the most searching
processes and appliances were seldom made.
To supplement the work of the colleges,
and to acquire and diffuse among the people
useful information on subjects connected
with agriculture, experiment stations soon
began to be established. In this country
they opened up new field for investiga-
tion, but in Europe they had been in opera
tion since the middle of the century, and
before 1884 nearly 150 stations had been
established. These stations had long been
solving the problems OF the farm, and COM
bining scientific meth DDS with practical
operations they had given an immense i'm
pulse to agricultural research.
ORANGE JUDD's WORK.
The first experiment station in the United
States was established in 1875 at Middle
town, Conn.,, by the joint action of Mr.. Or
ange judd, the trustees of Wesleyan Uni
versity and the State Legislature. Two
years later station was established in North
Carolina, and four years later two others
were in operation, one in New Jersey and
IL &1
in agriculture in several of the agricultural
colleges were reorganized and enlarged, and
public attention began to be directed to the
beneficial effects Of accurate investigations
conducted by well-trained men.
Before the passage by Congress of the
Hatch act in 1887, under the provisions of
which an experiment station was provided
for in every State, II stations in IA States
had already been established. These were
all independent institutions, and were sup
ported partly by voluntary contributions,
partly by special tax and partly by State
appropriations. These stations differed
greatly in their facilities and work, and
while in some cases their efforts were feeble
and uncertain, in most cases the results o.:
the experiments were of great value to the
farmer. The experience OF these stations
made it very evident that skilled investiga-
tors and great deal of time and money are
essenti a. for successful investigations. Ex-
perlmental agriculture must be general in
order to benefit the entire nation. If under
I ZEN by the individual, except in rare in
stances, the benefits will be but little felt
beyond his immediate neighborhood; if un-
dertaken by the State it will be
FOR SOME SPECIFIC PURPOSE,
as for the regulation of the fertilizer trade
in one State or the advancement of the sugar
industry in another, and the effect will be
mostly local; but if undertaken by the ma
tion it will be for the benefit of every sec
tion, and both money and men will be found
available for every line of experimental
work. individuals and States having al
ready taken the lead, and the results of
their Investigations having been so favor
orable action. and agricultural experiment
work in this country was then placed upon
a permanent basis. By the provisions of
the bill, S15, 900 was yearly appropriated to
each State for experimental purposes, and
it was also proposed to utilize the buildings,
farms, libraries, laboratories and apparatus
of the Agricultural College, which had al
ready been established.
The Importance of such o measure can
scarcely be estimated. An expenditure of
SIS, 900 in each State annually by the Gov
ernment is equivalent to the expenditure of
over 5000. 900 in the entire country, and on
the passage of the bill it was stated that this
amount would be largely increased by in
dividual gifts and State appropriations.
Although the act has only been in operation
since March 2, 1887, already stations are in
operations in all the States except Montana.
In Ari izona, New Mexico and Utah stations
have been organized, and in several States
more than one station has been established.
There are now 81 stations in successful
operation in 43 States and Territories and if
sub-stations be included in the enumeration
the entire number is 20.
THE MONEY EXPENDED.
These stations, in connection with the
Office of Experiment. Stations at Washington,
expend in all about $685. 900 per annum. OF
which amount $3.50, 900 is appropriated from
the National Treasury and S125, 900 is fur
nished by States and individuals. This is a
large sum to be expended annually in one
country tor the purpose OF making expert
ments in agriculture, but considering the in
terests involved and lthe results to be at
tanned, the wisdom of such an expenditure
can scarcely be questioned.
"That art" says johnson, "on which a
thousand millions of men are dependent for
their sustenance and zoo, 900, 900 of men ex-
pcul buclT udlIy tOil, muSb Dt Tue uOSL lLu-
portant of all; the parent and precursor of all
other arts. In every country. then, and at
every period, the investigation of the prin-
ciples on which the rational practice of this
art is founded ought to have commanded the
principal attention of the greatest minds"
In this country alone there are 1900, 900
farm workers, and 30,000 900 of our popu-
lation are said to be directly dependent
upon the farm workers for their support.
According to the investig gations of Prof. w.
0, Atwater, the farming lands, farm imple-
ments and live stock of this country are esti-
mated to be worth ST.. 1000, 900, ,0OO The ex-
penditures of all the experiment stations,
therefore, amounts to about Sc 25 for every
81, 100000 invested in agriculture. If
the annual value OF the products of our
farms be reckoned at 81, 200. 00O, 900, then
the experiment station movement means an
expenditure OF 81 for every 50. 900 worth of
products In an attempt to increase the value
Of those products in future years.
MANAGEMENT OF THE STATIONS.
At the head of each station is director,
who, in conjunction with board of control,
determines the experimental policy of the
station. Associated with the director in the
work are number OF experienced investi-
gators, and these are men who have made
special study of the problems which relate
to agriculture. In the Pennsylvania, Ohio
and West Virginia stations, the three in
which the readers of this paper are especial
ly interested, there are engaged about 80
specialists, and these are faithfully at work
in the interests of the farmers in the States
named. In the entire country the number
Of investigators connected with the stations
in 1889 was 369 and in this number are
comprised a large number of the ablest