306 Wisconsin State Hoeticultueal Society. 



plant food and the amount of organic matter which may he produced 

 hy the aid of the former. Whilst we are thus still ignorant in re- 

 gard to some vital points in plant life, it is quite encouraging to 

 notice the steady progress in studying the more intrinsic relations 

 which evidently exist between the composition of the organic and 

 inorganic portion of the plant. The very circumstance that the 

 various mineral elements cannot substitute each other to any 

 extent, if at all, without altering the relative proportion of the 

 proximate organic constituents of the plant, or even endangering 

 its very existence, suggests that dependency. The question. Can 

 we alter the composition of plants, and if so, in what direction, 

 and by what means? has become of late one of the most promi- 

 nent subjects of agricultural investigation. ,The best scientific 

 resources of our time are called on to ascertain the principles 

 which underlie a successful practice, if for no other reason than 

 the prospective large pecuniary interests involved. Agriculture 

 has already realized considerable advantages from investigations 

 in that direction, by learning bow to cultivate certain plants, with 

 either a view to increase their value for fodder, or to enhance their 

 market price for some industrial application. Numerous experi- 

 ment stations do at present attend to the wants of agriculture ; 

 and horticulture, the most successful branch of agriculture, begins 

 to realize the advantages it may secure by adopting the same 

 course. Experiment stations for the promotion of its special 

 interest date from 1870, Germany claiming already three or four, 

 to experiment solely with fruits. 



My peculiar situation, as far as time and means were concerned, 

 as well as a personal interest in the progressive work of the pres- 

 ent, induced me some years ago to undertake, with the kiod assist- 

 AQce of Professor S. T. Maynard, of the State Agricultural Col- 

 lege at Amherst, a series of experiments upon the college grounds 

 for the purpose of testing the action of more or less compound 

 chemical manures, and of simple chemicals, on the production 

 and composition of some fruits. Some of my results obtained 

 in that direction are already, in part at least, published ; others, 

 of a more recent date, are only known to those connected with 

 the work. I propose to relate both here, as far as they may add 

 some interest to the matter under discussion. 



