52 ANNUAL REPORT 



Mr. Dartt. Mr. President, I was invited to prepare a paper upoit 

 experimental stations, their scope and usefulness, as I understood itj 

 I think those were the words of the Secretarj^; and I wrote in reply- 

 that I would try and do so, but when I came to get the program I 

 found it was a different thing. I found he had made the task a great 

 deal harder there than at the first. As you all know, it is an easy 

 matter for one to talk at random about a thing, but when you are 

 pinned right down to the thing itself, it is a great deal more difficult. 

 I am trying to run an experimental station at Owatonna and I look to 

 this Society for instruction. It would be presumption on my part to 

 expect to be able, or to undertake to educate the Society; it would be 

 entirely wrong. So I have written according to the first heading, 

 •Rrhich gives me a chance to talk at random. I do this knowing that 

 fools can ask questions that wise men are puzzled to answer. And I 

 know, too, that the principle comes in that it is easy to prate at the 

 Bunker Hill monument but not easy to build one, I would a great 

 deal rather prate at experimental stations than come down here and 

 try to instruct you how to run a horticultural experiment station. 

 With this explanation I will read my random remarks: 



EXPERIMENT STATIONS: THEIR SCOPE AND USEFULNESS. 

 By E. H. S. Dartt, Owatonna. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



In considering this subject, our main object should be to determine 

 in what way, we can secure the greatest permanent benefits, in the 

 shortest time and at the least expense. And the first question may 

 be in what line of experiment may we reasonably expect to se- 

 cure these permanent public benefits? Not in the line of small fruits 

 for our experimenter would hardly have time to explode one boom be- 

 fore another would be on and he would have to settle down to the 

 business of chasing humbugs which would be comparatively useless 

 on account of their rapid flight and transitory nature. In regard to 

 flowers and vegetables they seem to be on a paying basis, and need 

 few baits from the public crib. In farm products we favor experi" 

 ments, but to do most good they sbould be so simplified that the 

 average farmer can comprehend and comply with the conditions. 



It is quite important to know what breeds of farm stock are best» 

 but the difference is not so great as our fancy stock breeders would 

 have us believe, or as to require extensive experiment. We know that • 

 the " swill pail hog " and the " meal and bran cows " are excellent 



