AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS 1928 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW 

 HAMPSHIRE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 



\\^ith the a|)pro])riations under the Purnell Fund now a])proaching their 

 niaximuni, it may be well to consider what forward steps it has been pos- 

 sible to initiate as a result of this legislation. The detailed reports by 

 projects will form the body of this report, but certain broad tendencies are 

 easily observable. 



One of the distinct advances has been the develoiniient of work in agri- 

 cultural economics. This has been in accordance not only with the special 

 subjects of the Purnell Act. but with the basic needs of agricultural re- 

 search in the state. Already the economic studies made have given 

 valuable information on fundamental problems. 



No less important have been the long needed soil fertility investigations 

 on typical Xew Hampshire soils. AA'ith the establishment of five series of 

 studies, involving over 500 plots, it will soon be possible for us to give more 

 definite recommendations on soil treatment to farmers in different parts of 

 the state than ever before. 



Similar!}-, research work in poultry has been started for the first time, as 

 well as in home economics and rural electricity. New projects have also 

 been initiated in horticulture, entomology, animal husbandry and dairying. 

 Many of these advance steps will be noteworthy, we believe, in the 

 history of the agriculture of the state. On the other hand, it is with some 

 chagrin that we must admit that it has not been possible to undertake the 

 studies in rural sociology suggested by the Purnell Act, nor. in fact, to 

 make more than a meager start in the field of home economics. The 

 reason for this lies in the small amount of state funds which are available 

 for research work. The Federal Government spent fourteen dollars last 

 year in Xew Hampshire for every one expended by the state in the interest 

 of agricultural investigations. Xcxt year, the proportion will be even 

 higher — eighteen to one. This is in marked contrast to the situation in 

 other states, where the average expen.diture this year has been two dollars 

 of state to one dollar of Federal funds. 



The state has ver}- wisely, we believe, recognized the value of agricul- 

 tural extension work, and in this field its appropriations have made possible 

 I an organization of which we have every reason to be proud. Funds for 

 i research are no less important : in fact, the ultimate success of extension 

 I work olniously depends upon the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the 

 ) underlying investigations. We have been fortunate in New Hampshire in 

 having a close working relationship between research and extension, both 

 departments being conducted under the same head. It is time, however, 

 : for the discrepancy in appropriations to be removed. 



