THE CALL TO AMHERST 39 



mineral constituents of plants to the growth of the 

 organs of vegetation that is, the changes in their 

 chemical composition during growth and the qual- 

 ity and ripening of fruits, he considered of great im- 

 portance, as they might enable us to modify at will the 

 relative proportions of acid, sugar, and ether in our 

 fruits, and, thereby, produce practically new varieties 

 of superior quality and market value. 



Goessmann co-operated also with President Clark 

 and Professor Peabody in the study of the circulation 

 and flow of sap in plants; with Professor Stockbridge 

 in the study of special fertilization and the behaviour 

 of soil waters; and with Professor Maynard in a series 

 of field experiments with grape-vines and various fruit 

 trees, extending over several years, for the purpose of 

 testing the action of different kinds of plant-food on 

 their productiveness hi the quantity and quality of the 

 fruit. In 1878 he published an interesting paper on the 

 effect of girdling upon the growth, composition, and 

 quality of grapes, proving conclusively that those 

 growing on properly girdled branches ripen much 

 earlier than those on ungirdled branches. During those 

 busy years he found time to write several articles, 

 chiefly on beet and cane-sugar, fertilizers, and salt, for 

 Johnson's New Universal Cyclopaedia, for many years 

 the standard work of its kind in America. 



In January 1878, with the approval of the Trustees, 

 the Massachusetts Experimental Station was estab- 

 lished at Amherst, Professor Stockbridge having gen- 

 erously offered the sum of one thousand dollars to de- 

 fray the necessary expenses of agricultural experiments 



