Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-01-14
THE WORK OF THE
EXPERIMENT STATION

from the earth-in solving the
states and territories. "
Along with this general proyi-
sion it was laid down that the sta
tlons should issue full and detailed
bulletins of their work, in addition
to their annual reports, bulletin
at least once in three months, one
copy to be sent to each newspaper
in the state and copies to all those
actually engaged III farming who
should make request. These bulle-
TINS contain a mass of valuable
information, practical in its char
acter and intended to aid the farm
er, dairyman, horticulturist, gar
dener-all who gain their living
many problems which come up in
the progress Of their work. The
object is so to present the new
discoveries that the average man
may get hold Of the facts easily.
In some cases two sets Of bulle-
tins are iSSucd--one brief and in
the simplest possible language, for
distribution to the press and for
immediate 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 a thousand men are on the
stats of the stations, among them
some Of the foremost practical sci
entistS of the United States, and
all OF them picked men. They con
duct original research in the lines
of physics, chemistry, botany, ge-
ology, meteorology, agronomy,
horticulture, forestry, physiology
Of man and animals, veterinary
science, animal industry, dairying,
rural engineering, and other re
lated lines, In addition to these,
they take up many questions of
immediate interest and give the
farmer tirst-hand aid; as, for eX-
ample, they hasten to present the
very latest information to the
eradication Of an insect pest
threatening crops or orchards
they give free expert opinion on
the character Of a soil or the
healthfulness of water supply
they test a certain food which has
fallen under suspicion and deter
mine whether or not it is fit to eat,
giving the inquirer precisely what
the compound is made of they an
sWer letters upon a thousand and
one topics which may not have
any direct scientific value or in
terest whatever. Hudreds Of thous-
andS OF letters are mailed annually
from the stations, embodying in
formation which the farmer could
not elsewhere get, and all of it free
Of all expense to him. The national
government frequently unites with
the stations in cooperative expert
ments. One station may have pc
culiar facilities for carrying out
some experiments III 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 eXtermina-
ting an insect pest, or a problem
in irrigation, or a demonstration
of the value Of foods for man or
beast. Often the men who are in
charge Of special lines of investi-
cation in the stations prepare bull
letins which are issued by the ma
tional government.
Volumes might be written con-
corning the work which has al
ready been accomplished at these
stations. 1t would be impossible to
give anything like an accurate es-
innate 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 negative value,
which is sometimes quite as i'm
portant as the positive. The mega
tive 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 knwledge which las
been accommodating, and much left
over from the older order remains
to be sifted, tested, accepted or
rejected. 1t is folly as important
sometimes to indicate what the
farmer should not do as to show
what he should do. His calling in
this respect is not unlike that Of
every other man. For example, the
stations have done great service by
showing to farmers on analyses Of