CONDITIONS OF SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTING. 321 



of his own ingenuity, and did what every Yankee of equal ability 

 would have done — he made his laboratory, made his apparatus, 

 and conducted those experiments with success, satisfying in those 

 researches precisely the conditions of the experiments to which I 

 have referred as necessary in agricultural experiments. His results 

 are known to technical chemistry wherever chemical journals are 

 read. They have formed a real, substantial contribution to indus- 

 trial chemistry and to chemical technology. Therefore it is with 

 hope that we now turn to the Agricultural College of Maine for 

 good results in successful experimenting. 



In conclusion, allow me to say, that the latter part of this subject, 

 "The Future of Agriculture," will be treated by another member 

 of the Board this evening. 



Remarks of Professor Fernald. 



Prof. Fernald, of tlie Agricultural College, was called upon, 

 and said : 



I do not know that I have anything to offer in connection with 

 what has been said, other than to acknowledge the very favorable 

 report which Prof. Goodale was pleased to make in regard to the 

 officers of the college, and to assure him and the other gentlemen 

 of the Board that it will be our endeavor, so far as experiments are 

 conducted there, to conduct them faithfully. 



I was very glad to hear the several points so clearly brought 

 out by the lecturer in regard to the methods of conducting suc- 

 cessful experiments ; that all the conditions should be accurately 

 noted when an experiment is made ; that it does not answer to 

 note the conditions at a given time during the progress of the 

 experiments, and neglect to note them at other times, which are 

 equally important ; but that an experiment, when once undertaken, 

 in order to be successful must be conducted with the- utmost care 

 from the beginning to the close of it ; and also that other remark, 

 that every experiment which has been faithfully conducted should 

 be as faitlifully and accurately reported, that others may have the 

 benefit of what one observing man has been able to accomplish. 



I am not prepared to make any special remarks in connection 

 with this topic ; but there are around me a large number of men 

 who, I know, are well able to speak upon it, and with, your per- 

 mission I will take the liberty of calling upon Mr. Scamman, who 

 is always ready. 

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