118 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



THURSDAY MORNING. 



Called to order by the President. Opening prayer by the Rev. 

 Mr. McArthur. Report of Committee on Experiment Stations: 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON EXPERIMENT STA- 

 TIONS—WHAT IS BEING DONE. 



BY JAMES T. JOHNSON, WARSAW. 



The very important character of the subject assigned, and the 

 single feature of it, to which I am expected to address myself, is 

 in a measure embarrassing, for the reason that I shall find it 

 exceedingly difficult to confine my remarks to a part of a subject, 

 i. e., "What is being done." 



Possibly, you will expect me to speak only of what is known 

 as "The Hatch Experiment Stations," now conducted by the 

 several States, under the law of Congress known as "The IJatch 

 Bill." And yet it is probable that others will expect some notice 

 taken of the earnest, practical and intelligent experimenters who 

 are working independently (and successfully, too). 



The experiment stations of the States are, of necessity, general 

 in their character, and can give but a limited portion of their 

 time to horticulture, or to any one subject. 



Thus far, the most important part played by these stations in 

 horticulture, has been in the study of plant diseases and para- 

 sites, and in the examination and test of proposed remedies. 

 And in all matters that require scientific investigations, or 

 thorough chemical tests, their work has been eminently success- 

 ful, and will so continue to be, as this is a work that the 

 organized station only is prepared to do. 



The experiments with the varieties of grains, of grasses, of 

 garden vegetables, and of very many plants, are being carried 

 forward by these stations with evident advantage to the agricid- 

 tural interests of the whole country. 



But in horticulture, more and better results need to be secured, 

 to meet the wants and the expectations of our people. 



It is hoped — we are told — that such will j T et be the result, and 

 claimed that our stations are yet in their infancy, and hardly in 

 condition for their most effective work. This is correct reason- 

 ing only in part, and while we are ready to admit that they are 

 doing a work that the average unscientific farmer is not prepared 

 to do, yet to us it is plain that in the matter of the production 

 of new varieties of fruits, and in settling the question of their 

 adaptation to our soil and location, we need the work of the 



