The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-12-25
The Experiment Stations.
nR. n. d. ELzEY.

pdftmeDb Of n kIlcututc, LAS W tuS
report Of the Department for 1890 al
long article on the stations and their
work and workers. 1t is mainly apol-
ogetic. Mr.. Atwater points out, that
the station workers are overwhelmed
with too many topics, and too much
work to do, and too little time to do it
in. Those who knew beforehand how
this would be tried 10 keep the funds
and administration Of the stations sep
arate from the affairs of the colleges.
Mr.. Atwater, if we mistake not, was
one who opposed this view. Now he
says the officers Of the station have too
many topics to study, too many ques-
tions to answer, to many things to do;
but he fails to note the fact that in
many cases the station officers are also
officers and teachers In the agricultural
colleges. We have said, and now is a
good time to say it again, that a man
who really supposes himself capable Of
the duties Of president Of a college and
director Of an experiment station, and
teacher Of college classes besides, must
imagine himself to be something great
er than q man. One man is not able to
do even little Of the work of six men
and do any part Of it we'll. The man
does not live who can earn the tenth Of
the pay be gets, and do the work OF
president ola college, teacherof classes
and director of station. No man
knows this better than Mr.. Atwater
knows, or ought from his own exper-
fence to know it. In the place be occu-
pies it is his duty to point cut this
error Of organization. Glittering gen
eralities won't do. There is. as sug-
gested, and there ought to be, public
impotence about the results of such
work as has been undertaken. Incom :
petent men whose Incompetence is
notorious, and who could not be sup
posed to know anything Of the nature
Of the methods employed 10 modern
scientific reseacb. have been kept in
the pay Of the stations dilly.dallying
with puerile trifes because they did
not know what to get at. Two or three
men, yes, one man, properly equipped
for the work, would do more for
agriculture in year than all our sta
lions together have done; provided,
that one man did not undertake to run
college, and board Of visitors, and a
legislature, and a lot of farmers insti-
tutes, and two of three newspapers, in
addition to his proper work as director
Of the station. Look at the work done
bn Professor Jamison, in the employ
ment of the Highland and Agricultural
Society Of Scotland. Working in
harmony with an advisory committee Of
the best and most experienced practical
and scientific agriculturists who knew
how to put questions Of real importance,
be accomplished larger and more i'm
portant results than all our stations
together have done, and that in four or
five years.
We have always maintained and
still maintain that 9 most important
branch of station work ought to be q
complete physical survey Of the State
in the interests of agriculture and the
mechanic arts. Without the knowledge
which such survey ought to afford it
seems perfectly clear that much Of the
work of the stations will prove self.
contradictory and misleading; that a
director of a State experiment station
ought to be personally familiar with
the physica. character Of every part Of
the State is a thing too plain to admit Of
discussion. He ought to be personally
familiar with the agricultural practice
Of every neighborhood in the State.
He ought to be so well known to the
State as to inspire confidence He
ought to be q man largely familiar with
all the business questions which affect
the various industries Of the people.
How in the name of wonder can it be
supposed that man can know and do
anything else? How can any man hav
ing proper appreciation Of the duties
Of either . college officer or a station
officer suppose himself to be capable Of
both2 1t does seem that it ought to be
obvious that the duties Of teacher and
those Of an original Investigator are in
compatible. Beyond all things it ought
to be entirely clear that the presidency
Of a college and the dictatorship of a
station cannot be properly filed by the
same man. Neither is there any sense
in giving control of the funds or the
work Of station to the officers of a
oollaca Tsit oneetiau IF aaiaries2 II