130 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Apml 30, 1910. 



is especially the case where work is entailed that will 

 spread over many seasons, such as, for example, the 

 production of seedling canes, work on Mendelian lines, 

 or the making of maniirial experiments. The last 

 forms an instance in which efforts are being made to 

 reach definite conclusions as to agricultural procedure, 

 while in the first case the purpose is to produce actual 

 material that will be used in a definite, practical way. 



In other kinds of research, the work connected 

 with the question under consideration is not of indefin- 

 ite duration. First among these may be mentioned 

 the kind which relates to new agricultural problems; 

 that is to say problems taking their origin from the 

 discovery of new facts. Here, an explanation of the 

 facts is not the only matter of importance. A know- 

 ledge is required of the best way to apply them to exist- 

 ing conditions, and the attainment of the first will lead 

 to the realization of the second. 



New problems should not be permitted to minim- 

 ize the importance of those that are already awaiting 

 solution. In reality, the latter are of the more moment- 

 ous nature, and it is very piobable that their solution 

 will lead to the disappearance of many of the new ones 

 that were supposed to have a real existence. To be 

 carried away from the more exigent matters by the 

 charm of novelty will not lead to the attainment of the 

 most useful conclusions. 



Among the problems awaiting solution are those 

 which relate to the discovery of explanations of well- 

 known facts; brief reference to these has been made 

 already. The investigations conducted during recent 

 years have afforded several examples of the making of 

 such discoveries. The enrichment of land by growing 

 leguminous crops has been an agricultural practice, 

 in many parts of the world, for centuries; only recently 

 has the explanation been provided of the way in which 

 the improvement takes place. Partial sterilization of 

 the soil, by substances which put an end to life, by 

 heat, or by the direct rays of the sun, has long been 

 known to cause it to give larger yields of the crops 

 grown upon it, but it is only now that investigators 

 are able to speak with any degree of certainty as to the 

 changes th.it have led to the increased fertility. The 

 long employed agricultural practice that age has made 

 a custom has already, in many cases, gained the respect 

 of the agricultural adviser and, with the aid of his 

 discoveries, has shown the way to the adoption and 

 modification of agricultural operations, so that the 



position of those who exist by means of them has been 

 materially improved. 



The last kind of research that may be considered 

 derives its importance from the application of its results 

 over the areas to which these have particular relation. 

 Its conclusions are of local moment, merely; though 

 they may depend upon the special application of 

 a general fact, they are not, themselves, of widespread 

 value. They are none the less of use to the practical 

 agriculturist, under the special circumstances, though 

 their limitations should be clearly indicated, in order that 

 they may not be employed under conditions on which 

 they have no bearing. 



This discription of the different kinds of research 

 to which an experiment station may give its attention 

 should, incidentally, have demonstrated sufficiently the 

 necessity of its existence wherever such stations are 

 found. There are, however, other equally cogent reasons 

 that have their origin in a consideration of the internal 

 characteristics of the station. Firstly, there is the 

 indirect effect of research, even though it may 

 be purely academic, on the mind of the worker, 

 whereby the clearness of his mental impressions in 

 regard to ordinary problems is improved, and through 

 which he gains confidence in his work and in the inter- 

 pretation of its results. Secondly, if the best kind of 

 investigator is to be attracted to experiment stations, 

 he must be given the opportunity to engage in 

 research. Lastlj', the efforts connected with research, 

 especially that of a more academic kind, act as 

 a stimulus, both to the worker and his associates, and 

 prevent their labours from being confined and limited 

 in such a way as to deprive them of the lively interest 

 without which they will speedily lose their value. 

 It is necessary that the plan and purpose of the 

 investigations should be definite; that the problems 

 taken up should not be of too laige or broad a nature; 

 and that the number of lines of work should be care- 

 fully limited. 



The investigators at an experiment station, then, 

 must realize that they are indebted to agricultural 

 science and to agricultural education, and that it is 

 part of their duty to contribute to the needs of all 

 phases of agriculture, in abroad sense, by accompanying 

 the research of a more obvious nature with that which 

 is of an academic character. They will thus be 

 influenced to take up lines of work such as may be 

 discontinued if occasion demands, and will receive in 

 return that stimulus which will impart a living 

 interest to their labours. 



