Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-06-18

| les. "
Along with this general provi-
sion 1t was laid down that the
stations should issue full and de-
tailed bulletins of their work, in
addition to their annual reports.
a bulletin at least once in three
months, one copy to be sent to
each newspaper i'll the state and
copies to all those actually engag-
ed in farming who should make
request. These bulletins contain
a mass of valuable information.
practical in its character and in
tended to aid the farmer, dairy
man, horticulturist, gardener
jail who gain their living from the
earth--in solving the many prob
lens which come up in the pro
gresS of the work. The object is
$50 to present the new discoveries
that the average man may get
hold of the facts easily. In some
cases two sets of bulletins are is
Isued-one brief and in the simpl-
est possible language, for distri-
button to the press and for inn
mediate use by the agriculturist,
one more elaborate and scientific
in its treatment. More than six
| hundred thousand farmers are on
the mailing lists of these stations.
Nearly one thousand men are on
the staffs of the stations, among
them some Of the foremost prac-
teal scientists of the United
States, and all Of them picked
men. The conduct original re-
search in the lines of physics,
chemistry, botany, geology, me-
teorology, agronomy, horticul-
ture, forestry, physiology and of
man and animals, veterinary
science, animal industry, dairying,
rural engineering, and other re-
lated lines. In addition to these,
they make up many questions of
immediate interest and give the
farmer first-hand aid; as, for eX-
ample, they hasten to present the
very latest information as to the
eradication of an insect pest
threatening crops or orchards ,
they give free expert opinion on
Ihealthfulness Of a water-Supply !;
they test a certain food which has
fallen under suspicion and de
|termine whether or not it is fit
to eat, giving the inquirer pre-
cisely what the compound is made
of; they answer letters upon a
thousand and one topics which
may not have any direct scientific
value or interest whatever. Hun
dreds Of thousands of letters are
mailed annually from the stations,
embodying information which
the farmer could not otherwise
get, and all Of it free Of all ex-
Ipense to him. The national gov
rnment frequently unites with the
stations in cooperation Of expert
ments. One station may have pc
cullar facilities for carrying out
some experiments in forestry, and
the national government brings
to bear all its powerful influence
to help forward the test; or, it
may be, the best method of ex-
terminating an insect pest, or a
problem in irrigation, or demon
stration of the values of food for
man or beast. Often the men who
are in charge Of special lines of
investigation i'll the stations pre-
pare bulletins which are issued by
the national government.
Volumes might be written con
cerning the work which has al
ready been accomplished at these
stations 1t would be impossible
to give anything like an accurate
estimate Of the value, Of these sta
tions to the nation. The aid
which they offer is vast in two
directions-the positive value,
which is both direct and indirect,
and large in both, and the mega
tive value, which is sometimes
quite as important as the positive.
The negative Importance may be
indicated by the words, "What
not to do" The period of the
New Earth" has been so short,
time enough has not yet elapsed
for a universal spread of the
knowledge which has been ac-
cumulating, and much left over
from the older order remains to
be sifted, tested, accepted or re
jected. 1t is as fully as impor-
tant sometimes to indicate what
the farmer should not do as to
show what he should do. His cal
ling in this recpect is not unlike
that of every other man. For ex-
ample, the stations have done
great service by showing to farm
ers on analysis of their soils, that