66 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



station in the true sense of the word. We have the beginning 

 of a station ; all enterprises must have a beginning ; and we 

 must be content, usually, with small beginnings. It has been 

 impossible, -vvith the resources at the command of the Con- 

 necticut Station, to do more than it has done ; more than 

 to carry on such work in the chemical laboratory as applies to 

 the fertilizer trade, and to make some rather miscellaneous 

 researches in other directions. As you know, the station has 

 not at its disposal a foot of ground where any experiment can 

 be made upon a living plant or upon a living animal. We 

 have not even a window where we can carry on a successful 

 pot experiment, and although land at a distance of a few 

 iniles has been placed freely at our disposal we could not use 

 it to advantage because it is impossible to conduct Experi- 

 ments without constant and careful supervision. In the 

 management of the Connecticut Station we have endeavored 

 to do thorough work in the line of our opportunities, and 

 where the results would be appreciated, and that has been the 

 fertilizer field. It now seems that the work thus begun must 

 be continued ; that it has become a necessity. It Avould be 

 perhaps more for the interests of the State of Connecticut to 

 do other kinds of work, to attempt, for instance, to answer 

 some of the questions which Dr. Sturtevant has proposed 

 here, and others which will readily suggest themselves, than 

 even to continue the fertilizer control. Tliere is no difficulty 

 in undertaking such investigations and in bringing them to a 

 successful issue if tlie farmers of Connecticut will say, " we 

 want it done, and here are the means to do it with." 



It does not require any extraordinary genius to plan or to 

 carry out an investigation. There are of course a few superior 

 men who seem to have been born to invent and to discover. 

 Of such, if I mistake not, Connecticut has had at least a fair 

 share, and will doubtless produce more from time to time. 

 Meanwhile we have plenty of average talent which can be 

 made available for this purpose, if we will give it a chance to 

 exert itself. 



In the German countries, in Austria and Italy, the business 

 of agricultin-al experiment has assumed national importance. 



