346 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



in a land grant from the United States government, the purpose of which 

 was primarily educational, and only incidentally experimental. 



The College now receives from this source about $30,000 per year, and this 

 is almost wholly expended in the work of education. 



The College was founded in 1855, when little was thought about experi- 

 menting in this country, though the present impetus had already gained 

 some headway in Europe. 



But times have changed and we have been compelled to change with them. 

 We have at length found out that the virgin strength of our soils was not 

 €xhaustless, and our failing crops admonish us of the necessity of altering 

 our practice. Entire sections of our country have been abandoned for agri- 

 cultural uses because of the infertility of the soil, and we are brought to face 

 the fact that something must be done. We have had to study this problem, 

 to experiment upon it, to seek out the causes, and the means of avoiding 

 them, and finally to devise means to restore these ruined lands. 



It is the duty of the State, if it be a possibility, to provide the ways and 

 means to preserve its domain from deterioration and to utilize its apparently 

 waste places. 



Thus it seemed to me on entering upon my work at Lansing that the Col- 

 lege had a double mission — not only to educate, but to go forth and seek out 

 and experiment upon and try to solve the problems that press upon the com- 

 munity. 



Now the question arises, how is this to be accomplished? Our previous 

 work of education, as already stated, practically requires all of our present 

 resources, and we have been compelled to look for future aid to enable us to 

 undertake this new field of work. We have looked to Congress, and the 

 Hatch agricultural experiment bill, now before that body, will, if it becomes 

 a law, provide for each State, having an agricultural college, $15,000 a year 

 for experimenting. The only restriction as to the method of expending this 

 amount is a provision that not more than one-fifth of the first year's appro- 

 priation nor more than one-twentieth of the appropriation for subsequent 

 years can be devoted to buildings. 



If this law becomes effective, we will not need to apply to the State Legis- 

 lature for help in this direction. If the law passes, it will be my desire to 

 devote a portion of it to an effort right here in your midst to work out a satis- 

 factory solution of this problem of the plains. We want to find the grasses 

 suited to your uses ; we want to find or develop, if they do not yet exist, fruits 

 that will perfect themselves here and be perfectly hardy. We want to try 

 the virtues of spurry and of different rotations, and in every way to test the 

 agricultural possibilities of this region. 



MAEKET GARDEN'S 01s' LONG ISLAND. 



Mr. Webber: When on my feet before, I intended to speak of the market 

 gardens on Long Island near New York. Many of these are on land as light 

 and sandy as any that you ever saw, and yet by manuring they produce won- 

 derful results. One such piece of land had been abandoned as worthless and 

 left to common till finally a Dutchman offered to buy it, provided he could 

 do so entirely on credit. In an astonishingly short time he had the place 

 paid for and in good shape. Some one asked him how he had been able to 

 get anything out of that soil. He said he did not take anything out of the 



