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Geneva station among the foremost institutions of its kind in 

 this country. The present Director returned to his native State 

 to succeed Dr. Jordan in 1896, after having graduated at a lead- 

 ing university in another New England State and where he had 

 already attained distinction in experiment station work. It may 

 also be worthy of mention that two of the leading agricultural 

 journals in the State did yeoman's service in making the real 

 purpose and work of the station known to our farmers, and in 

 allaying public opposition to it, — the editors of each journal 

 having been appointed as members of the Station Council. 



It is impossible, in the brief manner in which I am writing, 

 to give particulars of the growth and work of the station during 

 its earlier years, while it is unnecessary, as such work is known 

 to the whole State and evidences of growth and vitality are all 

 about you. From a laboratory and business offices loaned by 

 the State College in 1885, to its present beautiful and commo- 

 dious buildings — one of which bears an honored name — with 

 their most serviceable equipment ; and from a force of two or 

 three clerks and special workers, in 1885, to a staff of twenty- 

 five skilled and educated persons in a dozen departments of 

 administration and science, in 1910 — marks a degree of progress 

 that is full of achievement and success. Such is the record of 

 your station. 



When it comes to results, however, those which show better- 

 ment in your agriculture cannot be given in so few words as 

 I have just used. The departments of the station are now so 

 well systematized that original investigation or research work 

 is entirely distinct from that of special inspection required by 

 law — the Director having charge of both divisions with a labor- 

 atory force assigned to each. 



Time would fail me should I attempt an enumeration of the 

 wise measures accomplished by the station for the everlasting 

 good of Maine agriculture. Could I tell you about the im- 

 proved practices and the judicious laws for which we are 

 directly indebted to the station, it would fill a volume. Look 

 you at the annual reports and special bulletins for twenty-five 

 years, and see for yourselves. 



The many methods of demonstration, the farm mixing of 

 chemical fertilizers, the work of spraying, our better protection 

 from injurious insects, management of the model farm in or- 

 charding — too early yet for positive lessons but abundant of 



