The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-01-23
FARMER AND PLANTER.
zxPERIMENT STATIONS.
fheir Relation to the Farmer ana M,
Operations

~
rheir Relation to the Farmer ana ma.
Operations,
Prof. Jordon, of the New York ex.
pertinent station, delivered an address
recently on the subject of "The Rela-
ton OF the Experiment Station to the
GARNER" of which the following IL an
extract;
Ihe claims of science as an aid to the
industries should no longer assn me
the apologetic tone. The day of uncer-
cainty as to the possible good which
science las to offer the industries is
passed. Schools of applied science and
experiment stations have become nee.
essary fixed factors in Industrial pro-
Eress. These may be considered as a
part of the great movements which are
now taking place in social and BUSH
ness life. Modern conditions and COM
petition demand exact knowledge.
1he contest which man is making with
ontoward conditions must DO waged
along the line Of well-demonstrated
facts and principles. Tradition, super,
sutton and opinion no longer have
weight. The literature of agriculture
pears evidence of the truth of these
assertions, as does the best type of
practice. There are several directions
In which we see evidences of value
and necessity of the experiment sta.
Cion, some OF which are tho follow.
Ing:
The chemical control OF the i'm.
mense fertilizer trade of this country,
amounting to 81, OO0. 900 per year, at a
cost to the farmer of at least $50. OOO.-
600.
The ventilation of frauds which
nave In the past so largely taken the
farmers money without adequate re-
turn.
The study of food problems.
The official chemical control Of a
large proportion of the immense dairy
business which is done in this country
through the aid of the Babcock test.
The application of economic ento-
mology to horticulture.
The discovery of the causes of plant
diseases, with the working out of the
spraying methods for their prevention.
1t is scarcely possible to sum up in
Jew words the large money return
which we are now receiving from these
uses OF scientific knowledge, to saw
nothing of general uplifting and broad.
ening OF thought of the agriculturist.
ANY occupation comes to have attract
iveness and dignity somewhat in pro.
portion to the knowledge and intel
lectual ability which it requires of its
followers.
What is the proper function and
scope OF an experimental station? II
can not claim omniscience, for we are
only on the outskirts of human knowl.
edge Neither can it claim infallibili-
", because. the judgment and insight
Oh the scientist are the Judgment and
insight of a human being. 1t should
not assume to control the business af-
fairs of any individual, because that
must be left largely with his Judgment.
The proper function of the station is
to illustrate the applications of science
TO agriculture wherever this requires
delicate and expert work, and to dis.
cover principles and facts that are i'm |
portant to agricultural practice.
Having conceded that the experi.
ment station is necessity, we may
ask what is the proper work for the |
New York agricultural experiment sta |
tion? The conditions of the New York
agriculture appear to demand that the
work OF its experimental stations |
should center largely around dairying |
and horticulture. What are the needs |
OF dairying and horticulture in this |
state? First of all, we need a large. |
widespread diffusion of the knowledge |
which we now possess. We are not yet |
living up to the best use of the knowl- |
edge which already exists. The knowl.
edge which is needed, SO far as It is |
within the scope of the experiment |
station to supply it, is not that which
pertains to expert manipulation SO
largely as it is to that which pertains
to knowledge of underlying facts
and principles.
Farmers generally ask for the why
and not for the how. How shall ex-
istinR knowledge be diffused? This
Is the work of the school and the in.
sutute. and the most important con.
sideration here, is the kind of teach.
ers who shall do the work. We have
too many teachers who know q little
OF many things and not enough Of any
one thing. If agriculture needs the
expert anywhere, the man who can
speak ex-cathedra, it is In the popular
school, and on the institute platform.
The Institute teacher should know a
great deal about his subject, and
should decline to discuss other mat
tiers.