EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. VIII. Ko. 5. 



The European experiment stations have, as a rule, a more simple 

 organization than our own, and they have greater singleness of aim 

 in their work. Many of them have only the means and facilities for 

 work in one or two lines, and even where it would otherwise be possible 

 to extend their operations they h;i ve chosen to remain at work on a few 

 problems. As means increase and the work develops, there is a tend- 

 ency to increase the scope of their undertakings. This is illustrated 

 at such places as Ilalle, where Professt)r Maercker has l)uilt up a large 

 station with ample resources and is extending his work in a number 

 of different directions. In many cases we find agricultural researches 

 being carried on at universities by different professors as a part of their 

 work, without a distinct station organization. 



The facilities and the methods employed in European stations indicate 

 relatively great thoroughness in their work. A scientific atmos])here 

 seems to pervade these places. The apparatus and other facilities are 

 am])le for the line of work in hand, while in other respects the labora- 

 tories may be ] »oorly furnished. Little details of manipulation are care- 

 fully attended to. In some instances this spirit may be carried to an 

 excess and become finical. 



There seems to be relatively great i^atience and perseverance in the 

 European stations in carrying out lines of work once determined upon 

 as useful and important. It is not expected that important results will 

 be quickly reached, and where much that is useful has already been 

 attained, this only strengthens the determination to persist in that line 

 of wcnk. This is well illustrated by the Bernburg Station, llellriegel 

 is dead, but Dr. Wilfarth and his associates are continuing the investi- 

 gations in the old lines with as much courage and hopefulness as ever. 



Without doubt, much greater stress is laid on the kee[)ing of sys- 

 tematic and detailed records of work than is the case in our own sta- 

 tions. Itothamsted, Halle, and Poppelsdorf are notable examples of 

 carelulness in this direction. At the last-named place the records of 

 field experiments which are first madci by indi\idual observers in small 

 notebooks are carefully copied out and systematized by a clerk who 

 has a doctor's degree as the result of pursuing university courses in 

 agricultural science, and thus is able to critically survey the work and 



355 



