STATE HORTICULTDRAL SOCIETY. 53 



breeds, and the best seed coi'n we ever tried was the Richfield. We 

 grew about one hundred and six^y bushels of ears of dent corn to the 

 acre. 



For our greatest benefits from experiment we must look in those 

 lines where it can change partial or total failure to success If cer- 

 tain breeds of cattle were exempt from cattle diseases, and ^certain 

 breeds of hogs were exempt from hog cholera, then the question of 

 breeds would become of vast importance, but such does not seem to 

 be the case. Then where shall we look for such conditions. This 

 points directly to our glorious hobby, fruit, forest and ornamental 

 trees. Here in our different varieties and climatic influences we have 

 all the gradations from total failure to eminent success, and I firmly 

 believe that no line of experiment can be followed with such assurance 

 of beneficial results to the present and future generations. For, what 

 would the world be without trees? And what must the condition of 

 our part of it soon become unless tree planting shall receive a greater 

 impetus? Now, whilst we seem to have found tricks in all trades but 

 ours, some of the other fellows say our hobby is the biggest humbug 

 out, and that experimenting at public expense is useless for the reason 

 that it absorbs vast sums of money without adequate returns. Their 

 error seems to arise from the fact that the money goes out in round 

 sums, so many thousands of dollars which anybody can comprehend, 

 whilst the beneficial results are so scattered and far-reaching that it 

 requires a penetrating mind to see and comprehend their vast im- 

 portance. And even then, great benefits may result without becom- 

 ing perceptible at all. 



Suppose the wheat experiments at our central station should 

 enable our farmers to increase their yield only one per cent or four 

 quarts to the acre. If they realized this, they might say it is a small 

 matter and it don't pay to run these high-toned institutions. Still 

 these benefits might be continuous and cumulative, and if figured for 

 one year would amount to over $200,000, enough to establish and run 

 an experiment station for many years. Again, su^jpose a man, by 

 improved methods should increase the profits of his farm ten or 

 twent}^ per cent he would not know where to place the credit. Evi- 

 dently most of it would be due to his own good sense and energy, but 

 without agricultural papers, farmers' institutes and experiment sta- 

 tions, he would still be plodding on in his old ways. 



jyfany farmers believe that the interest taken in their welfare is 

 prompted by purely selfish motives — that they are favored like fatten- 

 ing animals that they may afford better pickings for those who prey 



