The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-10-25
lie SoUIH CAROLINA EXPERI-
MENT STATION.
BY HENRY s. nARrzoa.
he Editor Of the Cotton Plant;

proving the methods of agriculture or c
Introducing new crops or industries" '
Agriculture is both a science and an '
art. 1t is the practical application of
many The experiment sta
ton worker, therefore, is a scientist
whose primary business is to apply his
special knowledge along original lines
for the benefit IF agriculture.
There are some successful expert
ment station workers who know very
little about practical farming. For
instance, a botanist may study the
causes of rice smut, and may prescribe
effective remedies and yet may be a
failure as a practical rice planter. But
in some lines of experimentation a
knowledge of practical farming is abb
s~olutely essential for intelligent re-
search.
Scientific Investigations are tedious
and expensive. Work of this kind
must be done by trained specialists
who have eyes to see, who can record
what they nave seen, who can correlate
and tubulate their records and draw
correct conclusions. They must under
stand the use of delicate apparatus,
and must have proper laboratory facili-
ties. Very few farmers in practical
life have the time, or the money, or
the training for this work in its higher
forms. We cannot depend entirely
upon individual enterprise for agricul-
tural experiments. In mechanics 1t is
otherwise. The inventor of a toy
secures a patent and makes a fortune.
The mechanic has the incentive of
quick and cnormou profits for inven-
tive genius. Some farmers, 1T Is true,
who develop new varieties of crops
get good returns from the sale of seeds,
but even this cannot last long for the
seeds Don become widely distributed.
The farmer who works out new meth
DDS helps himself, but gets no royalty
from others who adopt and use his
methods. The man who evolves from
long experience a successful formula
for compost, though millions are bene-
flied, will not make as much money as
the inventor of a tin rattle.
1t may be added too that the station
worker studies nature in its most elu-
sive forms, and it requires longer re-
search and broader scientific knowl-
edge to find original truths in agrcul-
ture than in mechanics.
Recognizing these facts and the
axiom of the ages that agriculture is
the basis of all wealth, the Federal
Government has established in the va
rious States and Territories agricul-
tural experiment stations.
On Marcia 2, 1887, the following Act,
popularity known as the Hatch Act,
was passed by Congress
SECTION L. 4 y 4 That in order
to and in acquiring and diffusing among
tho ,onpJn ,f tho Initial Stntne ,,s,c,
and practical information on subjects
connected with agriculture, and to pro
mote scientific investigation and ex.
pertinent respecting the principles.and
applications of agricultural science,
there shall be established under direc.
ton of the college or colleges or agri.
cultural department of colleges In each
State or Territory established, or which
may hereafter be established, in &C
cordance with the provisions of IN act
approved July 2, 1862, entitled can
Act Donating Public Lands to the Sew.
eral States and Territories which may
Provide Colleges for the Benefit OF
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts" OF
any of the supplements to SAID act, a
department to be known and desig.
mated us an agricultural Experiment
SuaUlOn.'
SEC. 2. That 1T shall be the object
and duty of said experiment stations
to conduct original researchs or verify
experiments on the physiology OF
plants and animals the diseases tc
which they are severally subject, with
the remedies for the same the chem.
zeal composition of useful plants al
theil different stages of growth the
comparative advantages of rotative
cropping as pursued under a varying
series of crops the capacity Of new
plants or trees for acclimation the
analysis of soils and waters /; the
chemical composition of manures, nat
ural or artificial, with experiments de-
signed to test their comparative effects
on crops of different kinds the adap.
tation and value of grasses and forage
plants the composition and digesti-
bllity of the different kinds of food for
domestic animals the scientific and
economic questions involved in the
production of butter and cheese and
such other researches or experiments
bearing directly on the agricultural
industry of the United States as may
in each case be deemed advisable, hav-
ing due regard to the varying condi-
tons and needs of the respective States
or Territories.
The first section of this Act requires
stations to be under the direction OF
the agricultural colleges. In all the
States except Georgia and Ohio the
stations are located Oh or near the COL
lege grounds. In the States of Ala
bama, Connecticut, New Jersey and
New York nor han n station Is
maintained by the aid of funds from
the States.
There are some advantages in hay
ing the colleges ard the stations work
ing together. Specialists are employed
who divide their time between teaching
college classes, and working in the
station. Thus money Is saved. The
station workers have access to the col
lege laboratories. Tie agricultural
students have a chance to study the
experiments in progress.
Each State receives fifteen thousand
dollars annually for the experiment
station. The expenditures are regu-
lated by the college trustees, but an
audiior from Washington examines