New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 29 
becomes necessary for the people to make investigation of the 
means of subsistence we also assume that mere existence satisfies 
the demand of the State. From time immemorial, the individual 
through long and often bitter experience has discovered that in- 
telligent application of knowledge of industry was profitable. He 
often discovered, however, that there were elements arising out 
of climatic conditons to which his intelliigence was not equal. The 
real issue in the progress of the country is whether individual men 
here and there through a long and painful experience should learn 
to profit by that experience, or whether the whole people through 
the State should join in a scientific investigation of the conditions 
of production that would bring to every producer the intelligence 
necessary to guide him and make him successful. Happily the 
State and Federal governments have decided that it is to the in- 
terest of both parties to preserve the resources of the country and 
have joined in the effort of scientific investigation in order to deter- 
mine that issue. 
A second important feature is that national perpetuity and great- 
ness demand that resources shall be developed. This is another 
way of stating that civilization means progress from primitive 
nature to the highest possible fruitfulness. Burbank’s work in Cali- 
fornia has been much in the public eye and demonstrates what can 
be done in the development of the productive power in agricul- 
ture. It is a happy circumstance that certain funds have been 
placed at his disposal, making it possible for him to carry on ex- 
periments on a scale quite impossible to the individual. It were 
folly, however, to suppose that one man here or there could meet 
the needs of a great nation. The wisdom of the present movement 
in Experiment Stations lies in the fact that in every State are 
found men familiar with local conditions and local problems. Co- 
operating with them is a national organization that may consider and 
give attention to the distinctly national phases of these problems 
of production. Up to date it may be conceded that the magnitude of 
this enterprise has not always been understood and appreciated, 
and it is but natural to expect that in the initial experiences of all 
these efforts there would be some misdirected energy. It could not 
be otherwise if it were human. But out of all these experiences men 
are learning and men are deepening their convictions that they 
are set to do a fundamental work in the development of the re- 
sources of this great nation. The interest in this work is not 
merely agricultural, it is of national character and dimension and 
