360 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



State, and one who is eminently qualified to discuss "The Function of 

 the Experiment Station Horticulturist." I have the pleasure of intro- 

 ducing Prof. S. A. Beach. 



THE FUNCTION OF THE STATION HORTICULTURIST. 



BY PROF. S. A. BEACH, GENEVA, N. Y. 



The agricultural experiment stations in the United States were called 

 into existence for the express purpose of aiding agi'iculture. The act of 

 Congress which provides for establishing them clearly declares this and 

 directs that it be done by acquiring and diffusing among the people of the 

 United States useful and practical information on subjects connected with 

 agriculture and by promoting scientiiic investigation and experiment re- 

 specting the principles and applications of agricultural science. The term 

 "agriculture" is here used in the broadest sense, meaning any industry 

 practiced in connection with the cultivation of the soil, and therefore in- 

 cludes horticulture. 



How is the object for which these stations were established being ful- 

 filled so far as it pertains to horticulture? This is a subject which con- 

 cerns seedsmen, nurserymen, gardeners, florists, fruit growers and all 

 others who are engaged in horticultural pursuits, whatever the section 

 of country in which they may be located. Such persons should take an 

 interest in this question for two reasons: 



First. That they may get as much direct benefit as possible from the 

 Experim^t Stations; and 



Second. That they may do whatever they can to increase the efficiency 

 of these stations along horticultural lines, and especially of that particular 

 station which is located within their own State. This does not mean that 

 their interest in the stations should be purely selfish. We believe that 

 horticulturists are as ready as any other class of citizens to support a 

 broad and liberal management of all departments in these institutions. 

 Even were they disposed to favor a narrow and strictly selfish policy 

 towards the other lines of work, they could not afford to do so. "There 

 is that scatters, and yet increases; and there is that withholds more than 

 is meet, but it tends to poverty." In a great many ways horticulture re- 

 ceives aid from research and experiment conducted outside of horticultural 

 departments. If we were to consider broadly what has been done, what 

 is being done and what might well be done for horticulture through experi- 

 ment station effort it would lead to a discussion of many lines of work 

 besides those which are commonly classed as horticultural. Plant physiol- 

 ogy and pathology, mycology, bacteriology, physics, chemistry and other 



