Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-01-14

| 'oAuOS; oHONlHB Jnem by
practical demonstration how great
has been the waste of former years
and how to check it. There is prob
ably not a Stain among the whole
three score which has not proven
IN some particular line of investi-
CATION as great an aid negatively
las positively.
One Is confronted with a for
Imldable obstacle in attempting. in
Iany compass as this, to show the
direct and indirect value of the
station in a positive sense, an OBJ.
staele too large indeed thus to be
overcome. One station does work
IN the reclamation of soils, like
California, for example, which
transforms whole regions of desert
lands into rich orchards, simply
by showing how these lands may
be restored to fertility by meth.
ODDS devised by the station. Mil
lions OF dollars in value have been
added to the wealth of this state
by reason Of the work of its Ex-
pertinent Station. The details of
how it was accomplished may be
had by others simply for the ask
ing. Another station gives out.
free Of all cost, the result of the
Investigations of one of it's staff,
and the whole dairy industry of
the world is changed. In the in
yention OF the Babcock test for
butter fat, DR.. S. Nj. Babcock, for
whom the test is named, of the
Wisconsin station, provided sim
pie, economical and absolute test
for the ascertaining of the amount
of butter fat in milk, considered
elsewhere more in detail. The re-
suit has been that many millions
of dollars have been added to the
wealth of the people, while the
test has been adopted over the
entire civilized world. The sta
tions of various states in wheat
growing regions have added many
other millions to the wealth of the
states by reason of the creation
OF new Wheats superior to old ones
from every point of view, while
corn has been bread for any def
mite purpose and largely increased
IN yield. Large sums have been
saved IN other states through the
introduction by the stations of
methods for preventing diseases
among live stock; others have
saved like sums by reason of their
fertilizer experiments. Others have
shown how to raise better fruits,
oW to protect crops from diseases,
how to feed best and cane sugar
waste to cattle and provide good
meat, as well as stop unnecessary
leakage of profits, how to conduct
farming on arid soils, by means
Of improved irrigation methods,
how to raise better stock, better
poultry, more eggs, better beef,
how to live better upon the farm
on the rations at hand so that the
farm dietry shall be not only at
tractiye to the taste but strength
ening to the body. You can scarce
ly mention an activity Of modern
agricultural life which does not
depend upon the stations, direct
ly or indirectly, for much of the
effectiveness of its service.
There is one test which may be
applied to all this great work
which sets it apart from ordinary
scientific investigation. 1t may be
indicated in the question: Will it
helpY
The chief aim of the scientific
agriculturist is not to do aston
ishing things, but to do helpful,
practical things, those which aid
the world to move with less fric-
ton, which make life for man and
woman easier, which add to the
sum Of human happiness 1t is new
er a speculative work carried on
to satisfy the mere cravings of sci
entifc curiosity. 1t is not the work
Of a day, either, but of long, pa
tietnt investigation and study.
Years must elapse in many of the
tests before the end comes. Ere
quently, the end has no tangible
results in apparent money value,
but the test under progress may
have been Of extraordinary value
through that which it demonstra-
ted could not, or should not, be
done. First, there must be demon
stration, no matter how long the
period required, and every step of
the demonstration must be firmly
established on facts, nothing can
be left to conjecture; after dem
onstration, comes application, and
it is here that those who gain their
Al L.