The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1895-11-15

enacted that each State in the Unior
should have an experiment station TO
the investigation of problems and tn,
distribution of knowledge relating {,
its own particular needs. And, TODAY
gentlemen, we have in this country
including branch places, not fewer
than sixty experiment stations.
The question may be asked wha
are the stations doing? In the frs
place, each station is studying the
problems and furnishing the informa-
ton required by the farmers of it.
State. Feed stuff and fertilizers are
sent to the laboratory of the station
and statement OF this composition
and values is returned. The station
Is thus the bureau of agricultural in
quiry OF the State, furnishing the spe-
cial knowledge which the individual
farmer is unable to procure for him
self. Again, the stations, as we have
said, are busy with new problems
They are studying breeds Of stock
with respect to their fitness for given
climates and particular purposes.
! The great questions are what breeds
yield the greatest value in milk
aud meat for given weight of
food, aud what are the conditions
of management under which the
greatest results . are obtained !?
With milk, for example, it has been
found that the largest volume does
not necessarily mean the greatest
amount of actual human food. Some
milks contain five pounds of butter to
the hundred, and others only two
pounds. These are vital facts. Also
the methods of extracting the butter
from milk have been revolutioniZed,
and today the butter can not only be
obtained in half an hour after the milk
has left the COW, but 20 per cent.
more is recovered than by the older
methods.
One other great work is the COM
batting of animal and plant diseases
that cause losses in our herds and
crops which it is difficult to over.
estimate. The losses from insect raw
ages annually in the United States are
put at S3S0,000,000. Prof. Comstock
estimated the loss to the cotton States
from the cotton aletia, in the year
1879, was $50, 900 600. And what is the
total sum expended upon our stations
in comparison with the loss caused by
one insect eating upon single crop?
And what are the stations doing for
US in Louisiana? From Baton Rouge
We learn that losses amongst live
stock are being greatly reduced by the
skill
Again, the cotton caterpillar is no
more feared as formerly, because its |
hn oh
orchards are being ridden of the scale |
insect by the hand of the entomolo
yist.
At Calhoun experimentation is con
fucted, embracing grasses, forage,
grain and cotton and live stock eX-
Jerlments are carried on with oxen,
sheep, hogs, and even poultry. The
lill farmers have had demonstrated
or them the fertilizers most suitable
% their lands. They have also learned
he value Of mixed farming instead of
rusting wholly in one or two crops.
Moreover, special attention has been
,iveu to tobacco, and the endeavors
which have been made with the "yel-
ow wrapper" are already a pro-
lounced success. As direct out
,rowth of this work we learn that a
ompaDy has been organized at Cal
loun with capital of $4,000 for the
of plug and smoking
obacco. And the sugar station at
Audubon Park has already spoken for
tself. Eight years ago, and before
he station was opened, the yield of
ane per acre was twenty tons, and
hat was a good average. Today, from
hlrty to forty tons per acre are read
ly grown. Formerly, 125 pounds per
on of cane was considered an excel
ent result Of the sugar house. To-Day
he planter requires to know why if
ess than 200 pounds of sugar per ton
re made. And the capacity of the
ouses has developed from 200 to 300
ons 81 cane per day, to 600 tons even
p to 1000 tons per day. Also the
1ost careful experiments are being
nade in order to demonstrate the fer
lllZers which give the best returns in
'eight of cane and sugar per acre. 1t :
nay, with very proper confidence,
e said that in no State of the Union
re experimentation and the station {
endering more palpable and abid- |
lg good than in the State of Loui-
lana.
Mr. President, we have, so far, con- .
dered the origin, purpose and work :
the experiment stations of the indi- :
lduai States. We may now allude to !
ur great National Experiment Sta l
on, the United States Department of !
-griculture; and, sir, the person who t
Oes not regard that department of =
ne Government as the cOuntry's ex- {
eriment station has, in so much,
II ed to comprehend its purpose and
Like that of the State t
alton, its primary function is in 2
uiry, and a chief mode of inquiry is 1
experimentation. In the first place, o
II the state stations centre in the I
department. OF Agriculture, and from L
nat centre the results of each are dis c
for the benefit of the whole. {
he department Is also the National C
ureau OF Agricultural information, q
FINISHING through its statistical di- U
lslon all data upon production, dis I
'lbution and consumption of agricul- =
lral products in this and ali other 0
The great possibility, how S
yer, OF the Department of Agricul-
Ire as national power for good does o
OF lie in its clerical and perfuuctory o
hces, but in the course of actual eX. Q
1t must consist in /:
1gaging its scientific divisions in the a
udy OF problems which concern the q
roader public, and which cannot be a
1equately undertaken by the Judi a
dual State station. For example: p
the recent past efforts were directed "
wards forming two more zones in n
hich the production of sugar will be a
)ssible in this countrv Tn tha ono III