206 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The estimated cost is a little over 12,000,000. It is understood that 

 these plans are of necessity only preliminar}', and that a considerable 

 number of changes will be required to adapt them to the needs of the 

 Department. The exterior and the general arrangement, however, 

 have been made to conform to the general plans of the commission 

 now considering the improvement of the parks and public buildings of 

 Washington. It is planned to locate the new building approximately 

 on the present site of the main building, facing the contemplated park- 

 way from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. 



It is with deep regret that we chronicle the death of Dr. M. 

 Maercker, of Halle, which occurred on October 19, at the age of 59 

 3^ears. Dr. Maercker and his services to agriculture and agricultural 

 chemistry are too general!}- known in this countr}' to need more than 

 passing notice. The agricultural experiment station at Halle, which 

 is the largest and one of the oldest of the German stations, in its 

 present proportions is a monument to his indomitable energy and the 

 confidence which his work inspired. As director of this station for 

 over 30 years, he so systematized the enormous amount of control 

 work which it was called upon to do that he was able, in addition, to 

 carry on a creditable amount of research and a large amount of experi- 

 mentation of a more practical nature in the field and vegetation house. 

 Remarkably progressive in his ideas, he was impressed with the impor- 

 tance of investigations for practice's sake as well as for science's sake, 

 and probably few of the German stations have had a more direct influ- 

 ence in improving the methods and practice of their constituents than 

 the Halle station. The dominant spirit of the American stations 

 appealed strongly to Dr. Maercker, and their example was, as he 

 declared, an inspiration to him in bringing agricultural experimenta- 

 tion more closely into touch with agricultural practice. As a teacher 

 he was vigorous and inspiring, and as a writer and a speaker his influ- 

 ence was felt far and wide. One of the foremost figures in agriculture 

 of his day, his death will be keenly felt in all the varied lines of 

 K'jfivity in which he had been prominent. 



