68 KEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPEEIMENT STATIONS. 



ganda in that line. He also made an important study of sorghum 

 growing and the value of that crop for sugar. His conclusion that 

 the presence of a large amount of grape sugar in the juice rendered 

 the separation of the cane sugar impracticable on a commercial scale 

 was verified much later by extensive commercial experiments. 



His investigation of the salt marshes of the State and plans for 

 their reclamation were embodied in a number of valuable papers. 

 He also made extensive studies of the chemistry of the corn plant, 

 the preservation of corn in the silo, the chemistry of fruits and the 

 relation of fertilizers to their culture, etc. His study of the ferti- 

 lizer industry, at that time in a most unsatisfactor}^ condition, led to 

 securing the first State law for the inspecton of fertilizers, which 

 became operative October 1, 1873. As State inspector he made 

 his first report under the new law that year, and he was in charge 

 of this inspection from that date to the time of his retirement 

 in 1907. 



Dr. Goessmann early began the advocacy of an experiment station 

 at the college, illustrating by his studies the practical value of such 

 an institution to the agriculture of the State. A station was started 

 in 1878 with private contributions, and while studies were continued 

 with the proceeds of the fertilizer inspection, it was not until 1882 

 that the State made definite provision for a station. He was then 

 appointed director and remained at its head until it was merged 

 with the Hatch station of the college in 1895. Under his direction 

 the station became an efficient aid to the farmers and to the agricul- 

 ture of the State, and was from the first one of the leading institu- 

 tions of its kind in the country. Feeding experiments with dairy 

 cattle and pigs, and fertilizer experiments with a wide range of field 

 and garden crops were continued through long periods. In the 

 latter he made noteworthy studies of the action and value of different 

 forms of potash, phosphoric acid, and nitrogen, and their s]3ecial 

 effect on crops. 



Dr. Goessmann was modest and without ostentation in all that he 

 did, and was content to let his work justify itself by its merits. He 

 sought no other reward ; and his devotion to his study prevented his 

 turning aside into commercial channels, which would have yielded 

 greater pecuniary return. 



The product of his activity is not measured in monetary terms, 

 for the value of a movement which looks to the development of an 

 industry on a more intelligent and secure basis is bej^ond such 

 measure. It is found rather in a changed popular attitude which 

 appropriates thousands for experimentation where hundreds were 

 hesitatingly given before, in an unconscious change of practice, the 

 real origin of which is rarely known, and in the lives and activities 

 of a band of students who received from him their first encourage- 



