6 STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



' In and Out Papers,' written under the nom de plume of Alex. B., in the 

 Scientific Farmer, commencing with the May number for 1876, and con- 

 tinuing till the farewell in the April number for 1878, when his health broke 

 down, has received marked attention, and showed the possibilities of a 

 literary career, had only the health which admitted of close and continuous 

 application been granted. 



" The trio at Waushakum Farm is now broken. Three brothers 

 purchased the farm and formed one life in 1 866, and for twelve years there 

 have been harmonious thought and action, and now and now a 

 wearying sense of desolation." 



The invitation to take up work in New York was accepted and Dr. 

 Stvirtevant moved at once to Geneva to become, in his new work in agri- 

 cultural research, an explorer in an almost virgin field. The splendid 

 institutions we now have, created by the Hatch Act of Congress, did not 

 come into existence imtil 1888. But six other States had planned to begin 

 experimental work in agriculture, four of which had made modest starts, but 

 as yet not much had been accomplished. There were but few models in 

 the Old World, and these were established in very different environment. 

 The financial support was meager, and encouragement from those the Station 

 sought to serve was correspondingly small. The new Director had to deal 

 with the fundamentals of agrictdtural research at a time when few men 

 cotild see the need of such research, and almost no one could be fovmd to 

 help carry the work forward. 



Under many difficvilties and discour3,gements. Dr. Sttirtevant began 

 to develop the Station. His plan was more comprehensive than any 

 other yet conceived in America. All phases of agricultiire as carried 

 on in New York were to be recognized. Horticulture, live-stock and crop 

 departments were organized with chemical and botanical departments as 

 handmaids. A notable group of men was brought to form the new staff 

 and within a few years, gauged by the time and opportimity, the Station 

 was doing epoch-making work. One needs only to name the staff, every- 

 one destined to make a high name for himself in his field of endeavor, to 

 measvtre the high standard Sturtevant set. Thus, in the Third Annual 

 Report of the Station, the Director has as his staff: C. S. Plumb, Assist- 

 ant to the Director; Emmett S. Goff, Horticulturist; J. C. Arthur, Botanist; 

 S. Moulton Babcock, Chemist; and E. F. Ladd, Assistant Chemist. These 

 men helped to lay broad and deep the foundation of the Station. 



Dr. Sturtevant was Director of the New York Station from July, 



