348 REPORT — 1895. 



varieties of grain, root, or fodder crops upon the various soils of the 

 locality would be most useful.^ Fai-mers usually go on sowing the same 

 kind of seed, or make a change only to something that is well advertised, 

 without ever ascertaining by actual experiment which of the manifold 

 varieties in the market is best fitted for the conditions of their own soil 

 and climate. Other experiments could only be conducted at the experi- 

 ment station. It is to be hoped that comparative trials of the nutritive 

 value of different foods would in all cases be undertaken : on this point 

 our knowledge is sadly deficient.^ The chemical analysis of foods, as 

 conducted at the present day, is no sufficient guide to their feeding value. 

 We need facts as to the actual effect of different foods upon the animal, 

 and we must then seek to bring our methods of analysis into consonance 

 with these facts. 



Besides actual investia;ations these local agricultural stations mifrht 

 be made to supply demonstrations which would be invaluable for teaching 

 purposes. If, however, agricultural secondary schools are established, 

 such demonstrations would find their most suitable home in these esta- 

 blishments. It will probably be desired in some cases to make the experi- 

 ment station a place for the analysis of manures and feeding stuffs for 

 the farmers round. If a special assistant is allotted to this kind of work 

 there can be no objection to it ; but it would be folly to allow investi- 

 gations to be interrupted by attention to such matters. 



At the present time the majority of the County Councils have not 

 made any commencement in agricultural investigations. Those councils 

 which have taken up the subject appear generally to have avoided any 

 responsibility of their own in the matter. The usual course has been 

 to make a grant to some agricultural college, or to some local Chamber 

 of Agriculture, on the understanding that they will carry on experiments 

 in the county. There is surely, however, no reason why a strong agri- 

 cultural committee should not be formed in every county by the 

 addition to their number of experts residing in the county. The 

 experiments at present carried on through the medium of agricultural 

 colleges and Chambers of Agriculture are almost all of one type : they 

 consist of the comparative trials of manures. This style of experiment 

 is indeed the only one which has found general favour in this country. 

 The fact is certainly regrettable, as it exhibits a poverty of idea on the 

 part of the experimenter, and a lack of apprehension of the many serious 

 problems which are awaiting solution. 



Many important topics have been left unmentioned which will doubt- 

 less be taken up during the discussion which is to follow. My object has 

 been merely to give a brief sketch of the kind of national and local 

 work required if a real effort is to be made to give agriculture the aid 

 of science. 



' In Essex and Nottinghamshire a commencement, has been made of work of 

 this kind. 



- In Norfolk vahiable experiments have been made on the feeding value of oil- 

 cake containing different percentages of oil. 



I 



