No. 4.] WORK OF COLLEGE AND STATION. 191 



iluence of special fertilizers upon the quality of fruits, and 

 upon diseases affecting our crops. 



Professor Stockbridge carried out those notable experi- 

 ments which led to the introduction of special fertilizers for 

 crops, — a field in which he has had countless imitators. 

 He also conducted a large number of other experiments, 

 which have led to numerous improved methods of farm prac- 

 tice. He was one of the earliest to demonstrate that the 

 benefit derived from frequent cultivation of the soil in dry 

 weather is to be explained by the fact that such treatment 

 causes rather the more complete retention of moisture al- 

 ready present than the absorption of larger supplies from 

 the air. He was thus able to point out how this " para- 

 mount fertilizer" might be the more completely brought 

 under the control of the farmer. His experiments with the 

 lysimeter and in demonstrating the origin of dew, his obser- 

 vations upon soil and air temperatures and his study of 

 methods of feeding, are other important lines of work which 

 he followed with valuable results. 



The experimental work of President Clark attracted 

 wide-spread attention ; and, although not so evidently prac- 

 tical in its bearings as that of some other members of the 

 faculty, it was of permanent value, and drew from so emi- 

 nent an authority as Louis Agassiz the statement that, had 

 all the money expended upon the college (this was in 

 eighteen hundred and seventy-five) led to no other result 

 than the production of that one paper, that alone would 

 amply repay every dollar which had been expended upon it. 

 Many are the students of those da^'s who would testify to 

 one beneficial result of President Clark's enthusiastic work 

 which has not usually attracted much attention. I refer to 

 the all-consuming passion for research and study of the 

 secrets of nature which seized upon all, both colleagues and 

 students, who were brought into contact at this time with 

 this remarkable man. Who shall undertake to estimate the 

 far-reaching efifects of this one man's enthusiastic spirit ? 



Lack of time alone compels me to omit reference by name 

 to the important work of other members of the college faculty 

 in the early days before the experiment stations were organ- 

 ized. The work of Goessmann and Maynard in connection 



