EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XXT. SEPTE:vrBER, 1909. No. 3. 



The name of Samuel William Johnson will always bo intimately 

 linked with the early history and the development of agricultural 

 science in this country, as it will be with the establishment of the 

 agricultural experiment station as an American institution. He was 

 a pioneer of pioneers, a leader of thought, the disciple of a new idea 

 in science. He gave not only results, but an intelligent understand- 

 ing of their meaning and application; and in the early days of the 

 new work he aroused an interest and confidence in it which went far 

 toward making possible its spread and development. 



As teacher, writer, investigator, and guiding hand in the admin- 

 istration of the first experiment station. Doctor Johnson wielded an 

 influence exercised by few men of his time, and was a most potent 

 factor in developing thought and understanding along the line of the 

 relations of science to agriculture. His writings brought together 

 and gave form to the isolated facts bearing upon that subject and 

 laid the foundation for an agricultural science in this country. His 

 greatest work was done before the experiment station movement 

 became national and before popular sentiment had embraced the 

 idea of a system of institutions devoted to scientific work in the inter- 

 est of practical agriculture. His labors, his studies, and his public 

 utterances prepared the way for the reception of this idea ; and the 

 example of usefulness furnished by the station under his direction 

 was a powerful stimulus in propagating this idea and l)ringing it 

 to fruition in other States. 



A thorough scholar, imbued with the spirit of science, as well as 

 its practical ap]:)lications, he develojoed in the station high ideals for 

 thoroughness and accuracy and sane methods in the conduct and 

 interpretation of its work. It was first of all a scientific institution, 

 although its ultimate object was practical aid to the farming indus- 

 try. Its methods must be those of science, and its results must be 

 well substantiated and weighed with a cool judgment which would 

 give reliability to the conclusions and applications. The farmer 

 must be shielded against hasty and immature deductions on the part 

 of the station, as he must against false j^rophets and charlatans who 

 preyed upon his credulity. 



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