28 



gencies of the liberal reductions that have just been mentioned. 

 I find that the tendency of all artists who have been engaged 

 upon my work is to do more work on these coarse originals, if 

 I may so style them, than is necessary. The tendency is to 

 make the work too fine, to do too much, the result being that 

 the limits of the etcher are passed in certain respects, particu- 

 larly in the narrowness of the white lines, so that the problem 

 confronting the artist w^ho attempts to worik in the manner indi- 

 cated is to learn a coarser style of work and to learn how much 

 he can leave out. Once this art has been acquired, the rest is 

 clear sailing and the gain in the pubhshed illustration may be 

 briefly summarized by saying that it is nearer the natural size, 

 i. e., the ideal size; second, its lines are brought nearer the limit 

 of modern processes, in other words, are finer where it is neces- 

 sary that they should be finer; of course nothing is here for a 

 moment urged against the use of coarse lines wherever they are 

 appropriate; thirdly, the drawing gains in the important point 

 of scientific accuracy; fourthly, there is a greater range in width 

 of line ;■ fifthly, the great reduction gives the photographer less 

 trouble and at the same time lines accidentally gray are better 

 rendered. 



EXPERIMENT FIELD. 



At the Experiment Field a number of experiments have been 

 started, having for their primary object a physiological and path- 

 ological study of the cuttings of cane and their germination. 



These experiments are of a prehminary nature, and it is not 

 expected that many of them will do more than point out the 

 best method of procedure for next year. The plantings were 

 unavoidably late, and many of the conditions surrounding the 

 experiments were such as to preclude anything more than mak- 

 ing a beginning this present year; but it may be well to outline 

 some of the objects of the dififerent experiments. 



The extent to which cane cuttings may be injured by lengthy 

 soaking in Bordeaux mixture, has been tested in a preliminary 

 way. The strength of Bordeaux that cane cuttings will bear has 

 been the subject of another small experiment. The relative 

 germination of cuttings showing a definite number of diseased 

 fibres has been tested in another small experiment. Cuttings 

 have been prepared in different ways with the object of ascer- 

 tammg whence the bud derives the greater portion of what may 

 be called its internal nourishment. The effect of lime on cane 

 cuttmgs has also been the subject of experiment. A number of 

 other experiments are in progress, and a plan of work for next 

 season is bemg most carefully elaborated. It is thought that a 

 careful study of the whole subject of the early history of the 

 planted cuttings will yield results that may prove of considerable 

 importance. 



