EXPERIMENT STATION. 11 



tory, but is debarred from any systematic or serviceable experi- 

 mental study of the very numerous and most important questions 

 which relate to the vrants of soils, crops, or domestic animals, a 

 study which would require land and the simpler appliances that 

 are employed in practical agriculture. 



" The analysis of Commercial P^ertilizers, which so largely oc- 

 ciipies the working force of the Station, accomplishes a single 

 though highly useful purpose, viz : to enable the farmer to know 

 the composition and approximate commercial value of the costly 

 manures that are so largely consumed in our State. 



" But what is equally important is to know the agricultural 

 value of these fertilizers or their elements, and their economical 

 adaptation to various soils, crops or circumstances. Numerous 

 inquiries are constantly addressed to the Station i-elating to these 

 topics, to which in many cases no satisfactory answer can be 

 given. In most instances, however, suitably conducted practical 

 experiments would make it possible to answer these inquiries more 

 or less perfectly, and to make valuable additions to our store of 

 knowledge. There are two methods of making such experiments. 

 They may be carried out on a farming scale for a series of years, 

 as has been done at a few places in Europe, notably by Mr. Lawes 

 of England ; but thus conducted, their expense is so great and so 

 long a time must usually pass before the useful results appear, 

 that this method is not open to the Experiment Station unless it 

 were transferred to a farm, and provided with five or six times its 

 present amount of funds. Another plan is to make experiments 

 on a small scale in pots or boxes. This method has indeed some 

 drawbacks, but very many advantages. It requires but little 

 ground. By use of a greenhouse, in this sunny climate, experi- 

 ments may be carried on nearly throughout the year, their number 

 may be cheaply multiplied and results got in a coii^)aratively 

 short time. Furthermore, the intluence of disturbing causes, ex- 

 cess or lack of rain or warmth, the ravages of birds and insects, 

 may be more perfectly avoided. By this method a large number 

 of experiments have been made and are constantly making in the 

 European Stations and in this country. Prof. Storer at the Bus- 

 sey Institution, Dr. McMurtrie at the Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, and the writer have obtained useful results by its 

 means. 



"To carry on such experiments as a part of Station work would 

 require that the Station should have control of a plot of ground 



