The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-11-03
Agricultural Experiment Stations.


the following sketch of the growth and
present scope of agricultural experiment
situations, particularly those OF this coun'
try. The paper is one prepared by Mr
John f. Bilhimer and read at the October
meeting of the Oak Grove Farmers Clut
and was sent by our reporter for publica'
ton in connection with the report OF the
meeting. Lack of space prevented the Civ
ing of both it and the paper by Mrs. Reyn-
olds, while thro an oversight no attention
was called to the reason for its omission OF
to the intention to have 1t appear in this
issue of THE TIMES. 1t has not, however.
deteriorsted by being kept over, and as a
brief sketch of the system of the expert
mental station will well repay one for read.
ing:
More than a century has elapsed since
the movement began in this country t. ad-
vance the interests of agriculture by widen
ing the information of the farmer regarding
the rational practice of his art. As far as
known the first society for promoting agri-
culture in the United States was established
In Philadelphia in March. 1855. Wash
iDgtOn was an honorary member of this
society. In the same year similar society
was formed in South Carolina, which had
among its objects the establishment of an
experimental farm.
To Michigan belongs the honor of having
put in operation the first purely agricul-
tural school in the United States. 1t was
formally opened for the reception Of
students on May IS. 1857, and the work of
experimenting with a view of improving
the method of farming began almost slmul-
taneously with the opening of the college.
The first agricultural experiment station,
with the aid of government. was organized
in German village near the city and I'M
der the influence of the University of
Leipsic, by company of Saxony farmers in
1851.
The establishing of Experiment Stations
in this country under the aid of the govern.
ment began after the passage of the "Hatch
act" on March 2, 1887. BY this act SIS, 900
per year is given out of the funds proceed
ing from the sale of public, lands to each
state and territory, for the purpose of estab-
fishing an experiment station and to pay the
necessary expenses of conducting investiga.
tions and experiments and printing and dis
tributing the results. They are now in
orarotioD IL, avaru cfota apd farr;torv, avoo,,t
Alaska and our "new possessions" The
government however under direction of the
secretary of agriculture, has been expert
menting with the cereals and other products
of the soil and stock raising in Alaska
during the past two years with the view of
a station there. The last re.
port of the secretary shows that the work
done was satisfactory.
In five of the states separate station is
by state funds and in several
states sub stations have been formed. In
at Grayling in which the principal part of
the work is experimenting with the sandy
soils of the north, and one at South Haven
where experiments in horticultural are made.
There are fifty.fve stations in the United
States. Forty. nine of these receive the
appropriation provided for i'm the "Hatch
Act" According to the last report of the
secretary of agriculture more than six hun
ired persons are employed in the work of
and inquiry of the stations.
The mailing lists of the stations aggregate
about half a million names, and more than
! million dollars are annually expended in
he United States in experimental inquiries
a agriculture, Three fourths of this sum
zones from the national treasury. While
his may seem large expenditure 1t involves
he use of only 80 cents for each 81, 900 of
'ur annual agricultural products. About
100 reports and bulletins were issued by
he stations in 1897 which were distributed
% over half million addresses, besides be-
ng reproduced by many of the local and
agricultural papers. The system of expert.
mental stations In the United States is said |
o be more comprehensive and efficient than
hat OF any other country In the world, and
he liberality with which this nation nam.
aims institutions for agricultural research |
8 probably not equaled.
Our honored secretary of agriculture.