16 Director's Report of the 



(2) In what directions should this Station be most active in 

 order to best serve the interests of New York farmers? 



The permanence of experiment stations. — These stations give 

 great promise of permanence, because they are in entire harmony 

 with the whole trend of modern life. They are a necessary out- 

 growth of the scientific activity of the age. They are an avenue 

 through which science is bringing to agriculture the same bene- 

 ficent results that it has secured to other industries. It would 

 be remarkable if, in the midst of the great world-movement to- 

 wards the application of exact knowledge to practical affairs, 

 the industry which is fundamental to all others should fail to 

 receive due recognition, and as science is more and more fully 

 modifying and controlling man's activities, we may expect that 

 agricultural experiment stations will remain as permanent and 

 increasingly necessary institutions. 



Again, the growth of experiment stations in number and im- 

 portance during the past twenty-five years gives promise of per- 

 manence. The first one was established in this country as late 

 as 1875, and now there are fifty-five. For the support of these 

 our government expends nearly a million of dollars annually, 

 an appropriation which appears to be made without objection 

 by any member of Congress, and which is popular throughout 

 the country. 



One of the most important bureaus of the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture exists for the sole purpose of promoting 

 the work and efficiency of the stations. It is not too much to 

 claim that these institutions are firmly intrenched in our govern- 

 mental departments, and what is more important, in the good 

 will of the people in whose interests they were established. 



The influence which these stations now exert is indicative of 

 vitality and strength. They are consulted on all sides concern- 

 ing the more difficult problems of agriculture, and their investi- 

 gations form the basis of the most reliable and important current 

 agricultural literature. They are largely concerned in the official 

 inspection of fertilizers and foods, and have, to a great extent, 

 become a court of final appeal in all agricultural contentions 

 that lie outside ordinary experience. 



