Presidents Annual Address. 9 



EXPERniEJiTAL STATIONS. 



That we may consider some matters of moment more particularly, allow 

 me to call your attention to them in detail. One of the greatest needs of the 

 fruitgrower, whether in the amateur or the commercial way, is a more com- 

 petent provision for testing and determining the value in as great a number 

 of localities as possible of the multitude of varieties, new and old, and of new 

 methods of management. The random planting of orcliards in our Western 

 States has resulted in losses amounting to millions in the last twenty-five 

 years. Such losses are inseparable from the conditions of a new society, ex- 

 cept provisions could be made by government for the early establishment of 

 experiment stations. Our States differ one from another greatly in climate 

 and in soils. The dry climate of the Northwestern plains calls for a totally 

 different planting from that adapted to the moister region around the great 

 lakes, while every condition changes with each degree of latitude, and every 

 sjiccessive geological formation, as we travel toward the Gulf. Not only do 

 we need horticultural trial .stations in each State, but several of them in each 

 State, to meet the great variety of conditions we everywhere find. A report 

 that a certain variety of apple or pear succeeds well in Illinois, for example, 

 carries very little meaning to those who know the great dissimilarity of condi- 

 tions existing there. Our agricultural and industrial colleges and universities, 

 and our naturalists working under State appointment, are doing noble work, 

 and they embrace the finest band of experimenters and of practical scientists 

 found in the whole field of scientific labor. Most that we know accurately, 

 and can give a good reason for, both in agriculture and horticulture, we 

 owe to the labors of these noble men. But there are not enough of them. 



There is at best but one institution in a State, possessing usually but very 

 limited funds. What can we do toward securing the better endowment by 

 the Nation or the States of these most useful of all our educational agencies? 

 Every one of these State colleges should be liberally equipped for this work 

 of research and experiment, not only at the place where it is located, but 

 should be able to establish branch experiment stations in each State, under 

 the direction of trained experts. Can not this be done ? Every State is 

 abundantly able. It is only a question of an enlightened view of what the 

 people need. The European nations are wiser in this respect than we. Not 

 only do they establish these stations at home, but they hasten to build them 

 in their colonies. Says Prof. Budd in a late able report to the trustees of the 

 Iowa Agricultural College : '-Dozens of modern instances illustrate this set- 

 tled principle of political economy. England found Australia, India and 

 New Zealand destitute of hundreds of products for which their climate and 

 soil seemed well adapted. In a brief time numerous experiment stations, 

 under the management of experts trained at the home stations had intro- 

 duced such a variety of valuable products not native to the countries as to 

 many times quadruple their commerce, and to materially modify the habits 

 and customs of the people. Russia has experimental stations and forestry 

 plantations in every province supported in princely fashion, and she does not 



