180 LETTER-FILES OF S. W. JOHNSON 



Just before his departure, a correspondent told of 

 discouragement and failure in the attempts made in 

 Virginia to secure legislation for the prevention of 

 frauds in fertilizers, and alluded to reports which had 

 reached him that ''the protective legislation of your 

 state and section has resulted in failure. ' ' He went on 

 to say: 



In view of the spirit you have manifested in devoting your 

 professional skill and experience to the service of the public, 

 I would ask the favor of a condensed review of the whole sub- 

 ject, presented ; especially of the remedial legislation had, its 

 success or failure, and the causes thereof. Please give your 

 views on the reliability of chemical analysis as a test of agri- 

 cultural value. ... As your reply will be of general interest, 

 and especially valuable to the struggling farmers of eastern 

 Virginia, I beg that it may be made public in whatever manner 

 you may deem best. 



But overworked nerves had asserted their right to 

 rest and this letter was filed away, its request disre- 

 garded. On hearing of his proposed trip. Professor 

 Peter Collier, an early pupil of Professor Johnson, 

 and later director of the New York Agricultural Sta- 

 tion at Geneva, wrote : 



I heard some time since of your poor health. . . . Atwater 

 called to see me a week ago, and is goiag into the Experiment 

 Station work. I certainly hope under your advice, and had 

 hoped under your supervision, for the pursuance of this work 

 in this country by anybody not under you is playing Hamlet 

 with Hamlet left out, as you and everybody else knows. . . . 

 Now I don't wash you to answer this letter unless you have 

 lots of time and feel like it, but I do hope to hear you are 

 better, — yes, quite well. . . . 



