IV MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



liberal interpretation of the congressional enactment establishing 

 these stations when they allow a portion of these funds to be used 

 for the purpose of doing police work in several states. The time 

 may come when this use of station money will not be allowed, and 

 it will then be necessary for the state to provide for this annual 

 inspection by the direct taxation of its own citizens. It is gratify- 

 ing to note that the station inspection of fertilizers is productive 

 of good results. 



Very many farmers of the State have in the past distrusted the 

 practical value of the analyses and valuation of the various brands 

 of fertilizers offered for sale in the State, and have been much 

 inclined to take as their basis for judging values, the very unsafe 

 verdict of a single year's test of different brands of fertilizers 

 under conditions that are likely to give any thing but a correct 

 answer. Farmers are more and more coming to believe in the 

 truth of the statement so often made in their hearing, that a fer- 

 tilizer is in general valuable in proportion to what it contains. 



Fertilizers Experiments. 

 The experiments which have been planned with a view to solv- 

 ing certain problems involved in the maintenance of the fertility 

 of the soil are by no means confined to the College premises. 

 They are widely distributed through the State and are being con- 

 ducted through the co-operation of farmers who are greatly inter- 

 ested in the work, and who with their neighbors are very carefully 

 watching the results. Such a distribution of this kind of experi- 

 mental work accomplishing two purposes: (1.) An answer to 

 several questions is more certainly reached than if the experiments 

 were confined to the College Farm. (2.) The experiments are 

 more widely observed, and for this reason more largely stimulate 

 habits of observation and accurate thinking. 



Dairy Breeds. 

 Perhaps no investigation which the Station has undertaken has 

 attracted more attention throughout the State than the test which 

 has been made during the past two years of the various breeds of 

 dairy cows. It has been recognized and repeatedly stated that 

 the possible safe conclusions from these tests are limited, and that 

 the characteristics and economic value which they would- tend to 

 fasten upon certain breeds of animals might not be wholly in accor- 

 dance with later and more extended tests. It is very satisfactory 

 to find that so far such is not to any very great extent the case, 



