376 ANNUAL REPORT 



Mr. YouDg. I did not mean to say that it was not worth while to , 

 discuss the project, but we might discuss whether volunteers could be 

 obtained or not. 



Mr, Gibbs. If I understand this question, — I was not here this 

 morning to hear Prof. Porter's report, but if I understand it, — a per- 

 son is not required to procure stock for distribution or furnish trees 

 for other parties, but his stock is furnished ready to his hands and all 

 he is expected to do is to plant it in a favorable situation and to take 

 care of it, and to make a report from time to time to the central staj 

 tion. 



Prof. Porter. That is the idea, only it is designed to be upon a 

 definite plan to secure uniformity of work and reports. For instance, 

 we make experiments with Russian wheat. We take forty or fifty 

 bushels of wheat grown or procured by the central station, and dis- 

 tribute it in sufficient quantities for the farmers to test. All I want 

 to know is the manner in which the experiment is conducted, the lo- 

 cality, character of soil, and to get reports that are uniform, and to 

 send out these reports in our bulleti»s, for the benefit of every farmer 

 in the State. 



Mr. Gibbs. I had in my mind the experiments to be conducted in 

 the line of horticulture; is it the intention to combine these with 

 other experiments ? 



Prof. Porter. We expect to secure specialists in every line of agri- 

 culture and horticulture, men who will take an interest in the work 

 entrusted to them, and well qualified for its execution. From such 

 men we always get the best results. 



President Elliot. The question came up in regard to how these 

 experimenters were to be reimbursed for their trouble. I think per- 

 haps when Mr. Cutler comes to look at it and to see just the bearing 

 it would have, if we were to go to work and distribute this $15,000 all 

 over our State, he would see that it would be so thin that we should 

 lose all the results. But if we can have one central station to guide 

 and conduct this work, and have volunteer workers outside, as Prof. 

 Porter has outlined, then we would get at something that would be 

 definite. If we attempt to spread out it seems that we could not 

 accomplish so much. 



Mr. Gibbs. I know Mr. Cutler, here, and there is not a man in this 

 Society, I think, that will do more than he in aiding in this work, 

 and the object of my speaking was to relieve his mind as to the effect 

 this would be likely to have upon the general public, in sending out 

 these different things for experimentation. It is not expected that 



