Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-02-18

LIMITATIONS oF EXPERIMENT STATION
ADVICE. WORKING LOCAL PROBLEMS.
Concerning the general reputation Of
farmers for conservatism, Prof. l.. ii.
Bailey SAYS in the Garden aud Forest,
that for many years the farmer IA. been
scolded on every hand for following the
ways Of his father and grandfather in
managing his farm. This steady rain OF
advice, urging him 20 turn from the ae-
customed WAYS of his father WAS freely
offered even before there was sufficient
wleGge of a true science OF sgricult-
ure 10 give the advice any specific merit.
II the farmer must take up new ways, IL
wss not too much to ask that these new
ways De defined and described. But, for
the most part no adequate method OF
revolution WAS proposed although IL was
easy 10 see that there was reason enough
for the change. Under the circumstan-
ces the farmer Of course did little or
nothing. He felt that little could DC
gained by jumping from the frying-pSn
when the chances were that he would
land in the fire He accepted the advice
ss good on general principles but he saw
no way of pay ying mortgages with Il.
Now all has changed. With the sd-
vent OF the experiment stations snd the
babel Of new teaching, there are methods
aud 10 spare for the improving OF farm
ing. The
FARMER WILL RE SCoLDED No LONGER
He will convert himself 10 the new
ideas forthwith, and he will ask for adj
vice aud help in every emergency; for,
were not stations and the agricultural
colleges made for his benefit: But, real
IL, the great danger nov Is that the
farmer will lose something of his ac-
customed balance and self-reliance, and
desire doctor from an experiment sta
ton whenever strange bug or per
verse soil perplexes him.
Every experiment station Is burdened
with questions which IL cannot answer,
and never can answer. They are local
ouesiions-0ue stions which do not have
10 do with principles, but with the par
ticular matters which pertain TO the one
farm or 70 the personality OF the farmer.
The commOnest question OF this type IL.
What varieties shall | planit Now,
this question no one can answer for an
other. IL is purely local and personal
question. Professor Bailey SAYS he al
ways refuses 10 advise IN such matters.
lie is willing 10 say that be knows son,e
varieties which please him, and TO name
them, but he cannot advise anyone else
10 plant them. The question really
shows that the questioner has not yet
mastered and adopted the fundamental
principle Of the modern teaching, which
Is that
EVERY MAN MUST MANAGE HIS FARM
as seems best for his particular eondi-
;ions. IL he asks what varieties OF ap-
pies he shall plant for drying, or what
he shall plant for the foreign markets,
then more direct answer can be given
him; and the questioner has arrived at
the point of observing that successful
farming Is not copying after others, but
Is the working out Of a local problem.
All this is equivalent 10 saying that
the experiment station and the agri-
cultural college do not exist for the pur-
pose Of managing eyerybody's or any
bOdy's farm. More than ever before,
the farmer must collect opinions and
evidence, then weigh them and choose.
The stations should enunciate princi-
ples-illustrsting them by concrete
examples-rather than lay down rules.