EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURE. ^29 



out of the question. Neither are the agricultuiiil societies, us the}- 

 are at present organized, in condition to carry on such work. 



I have alread}' alluded to the fact that it is out of the province of 

 the agricultural colleges to engage in experimental work, and 

 though much has been accomplished in this direction by those 

 colleges, it must be looked upon as having been done gratuitously. 



It seems to me proper that the expense of this work should be 

 borne b}- the State. This has been objected to, on the ground that 

 it necessarily involves taxing the whole for the benefit of a class. 

 This, however, is not the fact. Though it involves the taxation of 

 the whole, it is not simplv for the benefit of the farmer, but for the 

 benefit of the whole people. Whatever helps the farmer helps 

 every class, rich and poor, alike. One might as well argue that the 

 general government ought not to clear out our harbors and erect 

 light-houses along our coast, because it is taxing the whole people 

 for the benefit of ship-owners and merchants. No one reasons in 

 this way in regard to the shipping interests, for they know how 

 dependent the prosperity- of the country is upon those interests. Is 

 not the prosperity of the country dependent in a still greatei- degree 

 on the prosperity of its agricultural interests ? 



Four of the Atlantic States have already' established agricultural 

 experiment stations, which are now doing good and efficient work. 

 These stations are needed not onh' for conducting original investi- 

 gation, l)ut to assist the farmer in various ways in the application of 

 science to agriculture. At the stations thus far established, the 

 first work undertaken has been the control of the sale of commer- 

 cial fertilizers. In those States they have driven bogus fertilizers 

 from the markets, by publishing from time to time analyses of all 

 the brands of fertilizers that could be found for sale, which enables 

 the farmers to determine for themselves what fertilizers to buy and 

 what to reject. From the control of commercial fertilizers the work 

 has been extended to the control of fodders and seeds, and to scien- 

 tific research, with results that have gained the confidence of the 

 farmers in the respective States. 



It is to be hoped that the farmers of Maine will soon take steps 

 to protect themselves from frauds, and at the same time aid in the 

 advancement of agriculture in general by establishing an agricul- 

 tural experiment station. 



