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Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



It is alluring to think of these possibilities, but the realization of them must 

 come through hard and persistent effort and even financial losses by the way. 

 There are three methods by which this advancement must be brought about in 

 Mexico, as in all other countries. A basic knowledge of all scientific facts relating 

 to the subject in hand is, of course, presupposed and absolutely necessary in all 

 cases. A few trained men must be the teachers of the public. The first of the 

 three methods is by means of the government experimental station, the second by 

 demonstration farms operated either by the government or by private capital, and 

 the third is by private farms operated for financial gain but at the same time by 

 the most approved methods and working toward the selection of the best crops. 



A beginning has already been made by the government on the first method. 

 A central station at Mexico City with four state stations embraces the entire 

 work in this direction. Three of the five stations were visited by the writer dur- 

 ing the summer of 191 and all the work reviewed with the greatest of interest. 

 The work is new as yet and there has not been time to accomplish a great deal. 

 Without criticizing any individuals connected with the stations, it might be said 

 that more extensive and intensive work is necessary. The most up-to-date and 

 improved methods must be tried out on the experimental farms before the people 

 can be expected to adopt them. The station is supposed to be maintained at the 

 highest standard of efficiency possible, but always doing practical and applicable 

 work, and not necessarily paying its running expenses, but entirely maintained by 

 the government. The efficiency of the station will depend solely on the amount 

 of money allowed for its necessary expenditure and just as much, or more, on the 

 man at its head. If, after a thorough investigation, a Mexican scientist proves to 

 be the best, then he is the man for the place; but if a German, or a Frenchman, or 

 an American shows himself to be the best man, then no national or race feeling of 

 any sort should stand in the way of his appointment to the work in question. The 

 government work in the United States has been carried on by men of many nation- 

 alities and the only thing that has ever been questioned is their technical and prac- 

 tical fitness for the work in hand — neither their nationality nor their religion en- 

 ters into consideration. Brazil employs Germans, Swiss and Americans ; Peru 

 has engaged Belgians, and so on through nearly all the countries, expert fitness is 

 becoming the only necessary qualification. 



The work of the experimental station should be directed first toward the test- 

 ing of varieties and methods of culture. New crops which might well prove of 

 value should be given a thorough and extended trial. Improvement of nursery 

 stock, methods of breeding, and determinations as to which of many varieties of a 

 certain group of trees or plants are the most profitable; this must all be the work 

 of the station staff, since none others in the country are in a position to carry on 

 such work. Pest investigations and control must be directed by the station chief 

 or one of his associates. For this work a thorough knowledge of entomology in 

 all its branches is necessary, as well as a knowledge of fungous diseases and their 

 treatment. This work should be carried on by the best of experts regardless of 

 cost. The sugar planters of Hawaii and also in Porto Rico employ chemists, agri- 

 culturists, entomologists, and plant pathologists at a very great expense, whose 



