404 EXPEBIMENT STATION RECORD. 



sciences, that it attempts to work out and master the complex phe- 

 nomena in the whole range of its field without regard to the limita- 

 tions of a single science, whereas the primary sciences view the field 

 from a special angle. This point of view is not changed when in- 

 struction in chemistry, physiology, botany, etc.. is presented to agri- 

 cultural students with an agricultural color. 



The association called attention to the rapid rate at which spe- 

 cialization is taking place within pure as well as applied science, 

 a condition which Avill continue to increase with the development 

 of science. Agricultural chemistry is, therefore, entirely in accord 

 with the progress of the times, and its retention as one of the special 

 divisions of chemistry is entirely logical. 



Doctor Thiel in his reply to the association maintained his con- 

 tention that the field covered by agricultural chemistry should be 

 assigned to special instructors in the basal sciences, and that when 

 these conditions were met and the agricultural student received 

 thorough and sA^stematic instruction in all the branches of natui'al 

 science with special reference to agriculture — when he had learned 

 the laboratory methods of chemical, microscopic, physiological, and 

 otber lines of work, then the agricultural chemist would have noth- 

 ing new or important to offer him; and. furthennore. he queried 

 what possible line of questions the agricultural chemist could put 

 in examination which would not be covered equally well by the 

 teachers of agriculture and the various natural sciences. 



Enlarging upon his plan he explained the methods of mak- 

 ing field and feeding experiments, of studying the soil, and the 

 like, the student would receive in connection with his study of the 

 special sciences, and he refused to recognize in agricultural chemistry 

 any method or point of view which difi^ers in any way from that of 

 the respective sciences " in whose field its investigations lie." 



From the standpoint of teaching Doctor Thiel holds that the 

 recognition of such specialties as agricultural chemistry brings with 

 it the danger that the agricultural student, especially when he con- 

 tinues his studies for only a short time, will be tempted to restrict 

 the lectures he hears to those in specialties like agi'icultural chem- 

 istry which give him something of the different sciences, rather than 

 to take the more fundamental science courses. This apprehension 

 is undoubtedly well founded, and such a preference seems so natural 

 for a student with limited time that the question arises. Why not? 

 It is perhaps one of the strongest arguments for agricultural chem- 

 istry that it gives the student an insight into the applications to 

 agriculture of principles of science which would otherwise be closed 

 to him. 



