30 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



sufficient amount is pledged to insure the success of the plan. A 

 prompt answer will be greatly appreciated. 



A large iiiiinber of growers responded favorably, and the 

 total amount of money pledged toward the support of experi- 

 mental work as a result of this movement was about $1,000. 



It is with especial satisfaction that this action on the part 

 of cranberry growers and its results are reported, for it .is 

 believed that this j)olicy of self-help on the part of sf)ecial in- 

 terests has much to commend it. These interests may fairly 

 be asked to contribute to the support of work especially de- 

 signed to benefit them ; but this is by no means the only reason 

 for the approval of this policy. It means a greater interest on 

 the part of the growers in the work which is going on, for 

 human nature is so constituted that what costs something is 

 valued more highly than that which is a free gift. This policy 

 means, moreover, closer co-operation, wholesome supervision and 

 helpful criticism. It is to be hoped that the results of this initial 

 movement in the direction of private support of experimental 

 work on the part of special interests will so commend themselves 

 to cranberry growers that not alone will they be inclined to con- 

 tinue a measure of support, but that other special interests, 

 recognizing the advantages of the system, may be led to adopt 

 a similar plan of co-operation. 



It must be at once recognized that, in order that the experi- 

 ments contemplated in the interests of cranberry producers may 

 be carried on under satisfactory conditions, it will be necessary 

 to control a moderate area of cranberry land and the buildings 

 necessary for handling the crop, and to provide moderate labora- 

 tory accommodations. Uidess the work can be located in per- 

 manent quarters, fully under the control of the experiment 

 station, it cannot possibly be prosecuted in a satisfactory man- 

 ner. Two methods of acquiring control of such projierty as 

 is needed are to be considered: (1) the needed land and 

 buildings might be leased for a number of years; (2) the 

 needed property might be acquired by purchase. The second 

 of the two plans would seem to possess considerable advantages 

 as com])ared with the first. Cranberry land ordinai-ily returns 

 Bo large an income that the rental which would undoubtedly 



