218 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS. 



The following letter was read by the secretary: 



Springfield, Mass., November !>, 1886. 

 Charles W. Garfield: 



Dear Sir, — Accepting your invitation to forward short notes of opinion 

 for the meeting of the Michigan Horticultural Society, permit me to call 

 the attention of the progressive members of this enterprising body to the 

 merits of the Hatch Agricultural Experiment Station bill, now before Con- 

 gress. Copies of this bill, and circulars relative to the same, I send herewith, 

 for the information of such members as may desire to post themselves fully 

 upon this important measure The immense value of the proposed experi- 

 ment stations to American horticulture, must be apparent to every thinking 

 man. Through them the pomological and forestry interests of the various 

 States and territories will be aided by practical experiments carried on with 

 scientific accuracy. There are a multitude of questions relative to these two 

 industries alone, which the proposed experiment stations can solve to the direct 

 practical benefit of every farmer in Michigan, and throughout the country. 

 In the testing of new trees, plants, etc., the stations can do much important 

 work; protecting farmers against buying worthless stock, and encouraging to 

 to plant such varieties as experience has shown to be the most profitable. The 

 various questions in your scheme of topics should receive much assistance from 

 these stations. 



The Agricultural College of Michigan, already recognized as perhaps the 

 most successful institution of its kind in the country, is doing a good work for 

 the farmers' interests, in the way of experiments, in addition to its educational 

 work ; but the latter requires so much of the institution's funds, that the col- 

 lege proper cannot be expected to carry on the legitimate work of an agri- 

 cultural experiment station. Now r , the Hatch bill provides an income of 

 §15,000 annually, for the establishment of an agricultural experiment station 

 in connection with your Agricultural College, under simple provisions that will 

 not in the least interfere, but will rather promote its effectiveness. It is not 

 impossible, therefore, for a society to do aught but earnestly support this meas- 

 ure. 



I suggest that besides passing resolutions urging the enactment of the Hatch 

 bill, that members of the Michigan Horticultural Society individually write to 

 their senators and representatives in Congress to spare no effort to pass the 

 Hatch bill at the approaching session of Congress. Then, if they will induce 

 all the local agricultural and horticultural associations throughout Mich- 

 igan to follow their example, and to circulate petitions, etc., in behalf of 

 the measure, there will be no doubt of the unanimous support of the Michigan 

 delegation in Congress. 



This is not a matter that will take care of itself, but something every pro- 

 gressive farmer must take hold of, feeling that its success rests upon him per- 

 sonally. Then, if we will pull together, not only in Michigan but throughout 

 the United States, there is no doubt that we shall secure the enactment of the 

 bill before the meeting of the 49th Congress. 



Trusting that your society will take active, aggressive, and determined steps 

 in this matter, I am 



Yours very sincerely, Herbert Myrick, 



Editor Farm and Home. 



