, 1896-12-21
EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
THEIR ABANDONMENT FULLY DIS
CUSSED WITH DIRECTOR
TRUE.
Who Insists That Sub-Stations Must
CrBut Finally Consents That Two
May be Continued for the Present
Year at Least-Mondell's Bill to
Aid Settlement of Oil Lands.

Washington, d. c., Dec. 17.-(Special
Correspondence. )-Several matters of
great Importance to the readers of The
Republican are now being considered
at Washington. Colonel Downsy Of
Laramie is here and one Of the objects
of bis visit is to get the views of
the department in relation t. agricui-
tural experiment stations. The de-
partment has been insisting for two
years past on the abandonment of per-
manent experiment sub-stations. This
matter was called to the attention Of
Representative Mondell last winter and
he visited DR.. True. director of the ag-
ricultural experiment stations n had
an extended interview with him in re-
gard to the peculiar conditions SUR
rounding sub-statiCns in Wyoming.
Afterwards Mr.. Mondell addressed a
communication to him in regard to the
matter, going at length into details as
to the necessity of the maintenance OF
the sub-staC,ions in Wyoming. The
| great diversity of conditions surround
ing agriculture in the state was point
ed out and it was urged that no one x
pertinent station could settle success
fully the question of adaptibility OF
plants to soil and climate in the various
regions of the state. DR.. True insisted
that the department had started in 10
change the of conducting eX-
p"erimentation and that Wyoming
would have to submit to a reduction OF
the number of sub-stations at least.
He finally. after earnest solicitation.
consented to make no further insist
ence as to the abandonment of stations
for the year 1896, but said that the de-
partment would expe2: the board OF
trustees of the agricultural college to
take steps TO do away with permanent
sub-stations at an early date.
In company with Colonel Downey,
Mr.. Mondell visited DR. True again on
saturday last and welt over the matter
in detail. While DR.. True pointed out
that permanent stations had been
abandoned in the other states and the
department could not c~ountenance the
anywhere. he finally agreed to a sug-
gestion of a gradual abandonment of
such stations. with the UNDERSTANDING
that at least three of the five stations
| should no nhon1pro1 thf, ,nnr H.
True suggested that in lieu of perma-
nent sub-stations the department fav.
ored cooperation with practical farm,
ers in agricultural experimentation in
various parts Of he state and said that
the experience of the department was
that much better results were obtained
in that way than by the maintenance
of sub-stations and the payment Of
salaries. 1t has been proven by ex-
perience in many OF the states that
splendid results have been obtained by
using small portions OF the experiment
fund in aiding practical agricultural
lists and horticulturists in experiment.
ing in irrigation and cultivation and in
experimenting with plants and fruit.
Mr.. Mondell's bill for the establish
ment of state schools OF mines with an
appropriation of SIS, 200 for the first
year and an annual increase of 81, 900
until the total of $25, 900 is reached,
has been favorably reported by two
committees in the house. The bill, as
reported by the committee on public
lands bears the name of Wilson OF
Idaho, but it is identical with Mr.. Mon
dells bill as originally introduced ex-
cept for an amendment which provides
that the appropriation may be used for
the maintenance of normal schools
where they have no school of mines.
This has been Inserted to help out the
southern states where they have no
mining schools.
1t is hardly probable that the pas,
sage of this bill can be accomplished
at this session, although Mr.. Mondell Is
making a strong effort in that direction
and in the next congress Wyoming will
be handicapped by having as a repre-
sentative n Of the democratic MINI
GRITTY. which will place the mining COL
lege bill in an extremely unfortunate
situation.
After having the grip I was in very
4 NOR hea1th oopol,,loJ ~, 49,, rTa.a,.