The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-08-21
MR. cHAMRLISS TELLS or HIS
VISIT TO THE EXPERIMENT
STATION
Ocala, Fla, Aug. II, 1908.

station. Prof Rolls, the director. was
at work with his stenOgrapher on
three baskets Of letters, but, as he
was good natured. and seemed willing
to give information, I asked: What
good are you doing the people, He
reached for and opened a big IA let
/ ter which contained piece of grape
| fruit rind and some citrus leaves,
green next to the stem but dead at
| the points He called this "wither-
tip" and gave the inquirer an answer
that will send him on his way rejoic-
ling. Other letters told Of certain
spray mixtures which did or did no.
; produce desired results. Still others
asked all sorts of questions. If he
earns his salary. | then asked 10 Do
shown over the farm. | had seen two
years ago the elegant grounds and
/ buildings of the University OF the
State in process of erection, but wish
/ ed to see how much had been done in
turning raw pine and tangled ham
mOcks into the condition necessary 70
test delicate seeds and plants. Once
my idea was that a demonstration of
great crops was the object, but the
making Of 300 or 500 bushels of pOta-
toes, or the intensifying OF crops al
ready known, is not the work Of ex-
ipeTiment stations. 1t is their bust
ness to try out the unknown, and Of
! ten impossible crops, if. perchance, a
valuable addition may be made 10
those we already have: or. in case
some weakness or disease fas appear
ed. to learn the manner in which this
weakness or disease originated.
, spreads or survives. For instance.
Prof Fawcett has many cultures of
the fungus which grows on citrus
trees. commonly known as "die-back."
saw it thriving in q ster.,ized glass
tube on q piece Of potato. This is
only one of many experiments upon
which he is working. and # f. can be-
! learned how one Of such pests carries
itself from season 10 season. and gives
out information leading TO it, elimi-
nation, it will be worth enough 10 the
state to pay many years expenses Of
] the station work In another place
! there were samples of corn. cross
! bred between varieties. which indicate
that the good keeping qualities of the
fiinty sorts may be blended with the
good shape and producing qualities of
/ some other. This is done by planting
of those stalks not wanted as breed
ers. There were some very SNOWY
plats of Guinea and natal grasses. and
we will soon be able to learn the ex-
act cost of seeding and producing an
acre of these and other grass and for
age crops.
In live stock there is the interest
! ing test being made Of breeding FIVE
native COWS to each a Shorthorn,
Hereford, and scrub or native bulls.
The produce of these experiments
cannot, of course, be valuable enough
to cover the cost Of keeping these an
imals, so private individuals would
hesitate to take up this work Be
sides, nowhere else can these three
breeds be found in one ownership and
be kept under exactly like conditions:
so were it not for the station. these
trials, with weights of calves az va
riOus ages and final block tests would
not be made.
1t would be tedious to enumerate
the many valuable things going on
there, but, in short, | wish 10 say that
the experimental farm is well laid out.
and, considering the newness and
rOughness Of land, a good showing has
been made, and every department
seems to be making good" The
building Of the experiment station
proper is yet unbuilt owing TO lack
of available funds to meet the appro-
priataiOn granted for the purpose. and
the laboratory work is being done in
parts of the university buildings
which are very much unsuited for the
purpose. A poor quality of plaster
was used, and it can be imagined
what effect is produced on some pro-
fessors when bit of this poorly made
mortar drops into and ruins an exper.
iment which he has been at work IN.
on for months, perhaps necessitating
a new start.
Looking back at the university and
station with their location, it is con-
vlnclng that the work being done. and
to be done, will fill with pride anv
citizen who investigates their merit
Gainesville is, in many respects. q
good town, and surrounded by a good
FARMING section, like Ocala. The re-
sources and prospects are so much
the same the two towns should no tho