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New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 21 
We need hardly say that for the work of such investigation as 
the demands of modern agriculture have forced upon us, there is 
need for the highest skill which the State can secure. For the 
solution of the problem of that silk-worm disease, now known as 
Pebrine, the president of the French academy selected his most 
esteemed pupil and friend. The results secured at our experiment 
stations, the lessons taught by those who are engaged in these 
investigations, are to be at once carried into practice by those of 
our farmers who seek guidance and counsel from these stations, 
and the very best service which can be rendered is none too good | 
for the important work, and for such service we must expect to pay 
as liberally at least as do our colleges, universities and private cor- 
porations for similar service. 
Before proceeding with a detailed enumeration of the work 
which has been accomplished thus far, and I shall confine myself 
to those years with which I am naturally most familiar (though 3 
at this point I wish to add my testimony to the excellent work 
done under my predecessor, work which gave the station an 
acknowledged and honorable position both at home and abroad 
‘and laid ample foundation for the more extended work which has 
been entered upon during these later years of its existence); it has 
occurred to me that perhaps it would be well to select at first cer- 
tain features of the work already accomplished in each of the 
_ branches of our labor and explain their necessity and importance, 
leaving the reader of the reports and bulletins to examine ait leisure 
4 equally valuable investigations for which there is no time for 
special mention at this hour. 
I would first call your attention to the investigations which 
_ have been carried forward at the station in connection with the 
_ production of milk, butter and cheese. We have several indi- 
viduals of each of the seven leading dairy breeds of cattle and , 
" every problem connected with the important industry we are 
endeavoring if possible to satisfactorily solve in our work. 
In this connection and as evidence of the magnitude of the 
_ work we have undertaken I would quote from one of the most 
eminent among those who have also given much attention to the 





