30 PROTECTION OF PLA?^TS, 1920-21 



I think we have demonstrated clearly that plant pathology can be "sold" 

 to farmers in much the same way as veterinary services can be sold. We can 

 do far more in extension work with the money that the growers put in than we 

 can with State dollars alone. It is perfectly certain, I think, that should the 

 State not give any money for the work, the growers would raise the necessaiy 

 cash. 



During the war, when so manj^ students were away, the trouble was that 

 we could not get enough men in order to spend money we had at our disposal. 

 However, since then, the State of New York is getting many men, who have 

 returned from the war, for this extension work : in other words, it is getting the 

 best brains of the country at a time when the men are most vigorous and most 

 willing to work — it is getting extra good service at a time when young men will 

 work the hardest. 



The State cannot continue to appropriate increasingly large sums, nor should 

 the State spend more than a limited sum of money, in order to give service to the 

 farmers. But you can sell to the farmers in the State of New York what you 

 could not possibly give them. While most of the population of the State of 

 New York lives in cities, yet the State treats agriculture very well indeed. It 

 supports other agricultural schools as well. 



A large number of fruit growers, packing houses and potato growers will in 

 the future maintain plant pathologists. Already a large seed company in New 

 York has taken on one of our young pathologists. ''If you will come with us, 

 they said, we will pay you a salary to keep our stock clean and pure but onl}' 

 on condition that you go to Cornell in the winter and get your Doctor's Degree. 

 You spend the summer on our stock and the winter at Cornell. When you get 

 your degree, we will make you a permanent place in our staff as our plant path- 

 ologist." 



I have tried to give you very briefly my idea of the place of the plant pathol' 

 ogist in agriculture, and I thank you for your interest and attention. 



