Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-07

Salaries 957+97
sl4 900 OF
Directo, Prof. W. H. Jordan renders
report in course Of which he says
1.-The past year has been one of general
prosperity in the affairs of the station. He
speaks with qualification of the helpful in
nuence which the station has been able to
exert among the farmers of the State. The
analysis Of fertilizers and the inspection law
are touched upon.
1.-The most notable addition to the station
equipment is the new forcing house, now
nearing completion, which is to be used in
the study Of problems in plant nutrition. 1t
is believed that in giving more attention to
scientific study of certain phases of plant
nutrition the station win occupy field very
largely neglected BY American experiment
stations, this line of study having so far
held place much subordinate to animal
nutrition. The rev house is G5xlS feet,
and is to be equipped in a manner best
adapted otis purpose.
"At meeting of the station council in the
autumn Of 1892, it was urged that the list
of farmers receiving the publications of the
station should be increased. This matter
was left with me for action. After consid
ering several plans, decided to send to
each postmaster in the State card board
poster showing cut of the college buildings,
and stating thereon that the station publica-
ha nt m aip for
mer requesting them. Through such ad
vertsing and by other means that have been
adopted, the mailing list of residents of this
State has been increased over 2000 names,
so that now it numbers between 1000 and
5000 1t is doubtful if larger proportion
of the farmers of any state are receiving
the bulletins of their experiment station
than is the case in Maine.
The large increase that has been made to
the mailing list has rendered it necessary to
consider the most economical methods of
preparing and distributing station publica-
tons. II is very desirable, also, that the
manner of presenting the results of expert
ments and investigations shall be such as to
secure for them wide attention. Expert
ence has shown that in order to accomplish
this, the statements made by station officers
tent with accuracy On the other hand, it
is very important that certain class of
readers, such as other station workers and
the farmers who possess scientific know
ledge and training, shall have access to
full record of the data upon which are
based the conclusions that stand in close
relation to farm practice. In view
of the foregoing considerations, it has been
decided to issue numerous short bulletins,
of not over four pages each, which shall be
sent to the entire mailing list, and which shall
present to the reader, in form adapted to
the unscientific public, all the results of
station work which have an immediate rela-
ton to farm practice. There will also be
issued an annual report which shall contain
. complete record of the doings of the sta
tieu, stated in part at least, in somewhat
scientific and technical form. 1t is pro-
posed that this annual report shall have a
circulation limited to the officers and stats
. of other stations. certain exchange publica-
lions and such farmers as shall specially re-
quest that it be sent to them" f~&
The horticultural department received rs
donations, many of which were valuable
publications. These gifts come from va
rious parts of the country. Professor
formation from the investigation on the
forging powers of some agricultural plants
fos phosphoric acid:
OF recent investigations in plant nutri-
ton those establishing the fact that legum-
iuous plants are able to gather portion OF
their nitrogen either directly or indirectly
from the free nitrogen of the air are by far
the most important, both from the scientific
and the practical stand points.
These investigations settle question
sIat has attracted the attention of agricul-
tussl chemists for half century. On the
practical side the results enable us to say,
that it is possible, by growing and feeding
TO farm animals such plants as peas and
clover, to increase the stock of nitrogen
for manurial purposes without resorting to
the various expensive commercial nitrogen
Gus materials.
Stating the results of these Investigations
eoneisely, il has been found that the legu-
minous plants are able to forsge on the at
mosphere for portion of their nitrogen.
Other plants either possess this power to
much less degree or not at all. If we look
for reason why this family of plants has
attracted SO much attention from scientists
we find it in the fact that some of its mem
ners, the clovers especially, have been
found practical farming to be plants which
py their growth on the soil, apparently
leave it richer in plant food than before,
and that farmers are actually able to pro-
dace more of grass, grain and potatoes
when clover is used as one of the crops in
rotation. 1t was to learn why plant
mat takes up such large quantities of nitro
gen as clover, should still leave the ground
IN better condition for succeeding crops,
mar the sources of supply of nitrogen to
.ne ieguminous plants have been SO care
fully studied.
lhe value of the results of this work to
Hle agriculture of the world cannot be over
sa'mated. There are, however. other prob
.ems IN plant nutrition which deserve as
careful study.
ne gave tables showing the statistical re-