120 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ordinary chemical analysis that it could give at the best only an 

 imperfect or one-sided view of the character of the soil. Two 

 soils might agree fairly in chemical composition, and yet differ 

 extremely in their fertility. Again, two soils might be about 

 equally productive, and yet have unlike chemical composition. 

 The physical characters of a soil the texture, porosity, tenacity, 

 amenability to tillage, retentiveness for water, capacity for heat, 

 etc. equally with the chemical composition, influence its product- 

 iveness and value. These considerations had been appreciated for 

 a long time, attempts had been made to take account of the phys- 

 ical capacities of soils ; and of late years much attention had been 

 bestowed upon their mechanical analysis that is, on separating 

 into various grades, according to the dimensions of their parti- 

 cles. Such mechanical analysis was in most cases essential to 

 any conclusive investigation of a soil. 



In the report for 1887 the intention was declared to include 

 in the forage garden of the station specimens of all the grasses 

 found in Connecticut. There were about one hundred and twenty 

 species of grasses in the State, of which eighty-one were then 

 growing in the garden. Prominence was given to persistent 

 meadow, pasture, and lawn grasses, and to those which continu- 

 ally reproduce by culture and seeding ; also to other forage plants, 

 sedges, etc. The question of methods of improving Connecticut 

 grass lands so as to make them more productive and more perma- 

 nent, wherever that was desirable, was declared a question of the 

 first importance. To answer such questions, it is needed to know 

 more about the plants of this character which would grow in the 

 State with less care than others, and with no expense for seeding, 

 their habits of growth, seed production, fitness for meadow and 

 pasture on different soils, feeding value, rooting peculiarities, 

 growth with other varieties, possible improvement by cultivation 

 or by selection of seed, and the effect of different fertilizers. A 

 more general and closer observation of the appearance and be- 

 havior of all the useful grasses was also needed, so that they 

 might be known by botanists and farmers at sight through the 

 spring, summer, and fall. Names were needed, also, which should 

 be current everywhere, free from all confusion ; because without 

 names there could be no discussion of grasses away from the 

 grasses themselves. 



With this eminently practical direction and purpose of his 

 work, Prof. Johnson is a devoted student of science, and an ear- 

 nest advocate of scientific methods of investigation. He has a 

 pleasant, modest manner, a full knowledge of human nature, and 

 "a practical conception of what farmers want of agricultural 

 experiment stations." As a writer, " his style is clear and con- 

 cise, yet delightfully smooth, and most agreeably finished." 



