Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-10-09

The Four Novelty Grahams That
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NATURE AND VALUE OF EXPERT
MENTAL WORK.
Anent Commissioner Flint's open
letter to the board OF control, regard
ing the keeping of dairy stock at the
sub-experimental stations, it may be
we'll to say few words OF the nature
of the work being done at the expert
ment station at Dickinson. Judging
by some of the questions fired at the
writer, this information ought not to
come amiss.
In the first place, I am quite willing
to concede Mr.. Flint's views in their
entirety-that pure-bred dairy stock
should be kept, and that careful and
accurate records of them should be
made. Incidentally. it may be we'll to
note that while the Dickinson station
is but one of the five sub-stations,
it had, last March 371s per cent of
the dairy stock kept at those stations.
But even st Dickinson, there is no
question but that the dairy interests
do not have the proportionate atten-
ton that they should have upon the
farms of the state. And yet, under
the present conditions, my conscience
is tolerably clear upon the subject,
speaking, of course afone for the Dick
inson station.
The scientist, by discovering new
knowledge, has enabled the discoverer
and the practical man to do those
things that have entirely revolution
lied our methods and manner Of liv'
ing. We have not progressed so much
but that the scientist has still other
work to do, perhaps work that is as
important as any yet done.
1t would seem that with all of the
splendid achievements that the scien.
fist has attained for the benefit of
mankind, it would not be necessary at
the present day to apologize for his
existence and for his work. As mat
ter of fact continual apology and ex-
PLANTATION seems to be necessary, and
especially so in the realm of agricul-
tural science-and in a new state like
North Dakota, where patience is
scarcely a we'll formed habit.
In agricultural science, the aim of
the work is practical in its nature,
and the taxpayers often want immedi-
ate practical results. In science, very
often. knowledge seems to linger as
readily as does wisdom in common at.
fairs. Results do not come at COM
mand and years may elapse before
the prize is attained.
In 1882, when Faraday in his lab
oratory was winding wire around soft
iron rings, and watching the magnet
ic needle move as the current was
made and broken, he could have had
no conception of the numberless and
mighty dynamos that his apparently
simple discovery would set in motion.
He worked in a laboratory and so
more or less in secret.
Work at Dickinson.
At Dickinson We are working almost
exclusively with farm crops and nat
urally the experimental portion of
our work has to be done out of doors.
1t looks to casual visitor as though
We were conducting a farm. We are,
but it is very special kind of farm.
It is more of a laboratory than farm
but that is something that our casual
visitor does not appreciate. He does
not appreciate that we are working
out scientific problems that, when
solved, will be one of the greatest
practical Importance, but which. while
being worked. may have no CONNER
cial value. Incidentally some of our
work may be model or demonstra-
tional in character, but such work
does not form the basis of the sta
ton.
Our experimental farm should more
properly be compared to laboratory.
The agricultural chemist is not COM
PEELED to raise swine to convince the
public that he has the interests OF the
farmers and the interests OF the
SlOCh lolSOIo at AC0AIs AS SAAShAAoS
knows that he will advance the inter-
ests of the farmer most rapidly by
keeping at the line of investigation
that he is started at.
Now, speaking personally, we have
under way several lines of investiga-
ton relating to the agriculture OF
North Dakota, which, If we'll attended
to will finally prove of distinct value
to the farmers of North Dakota.
These problems are of extreme diff
Guilty and require for their successful
working the very limit of energy and
ability possessed by myself and as
sistants.
One of the problems that is being
attacked at the Dickinson station is
an increase of hardness in winter
wheat to such a degree that it may
be grown with comparative certainty
in North Dakota. To solve this prob
lem successfully would mean the ad-
dition yearly of millions of dollars of
wealth to the state. l believe that
the end can be obtained, in the course
~ d11on m Effoon x,oorc hnt the