THE OFFICE OF EXPEKIMENT STATIONS. 21 



were visited and 17 addresses were delivered. A bidletin on Agri- 

 cultural Instruction for Adults in the British Empire and six illus- 

 trated lectures, prepared by expert scientists and edited by the 

 Farmers' Institute Specialist, were published, and arrangements were 

 completed with a number of experts for the preparation of courses 

 of study, with practicums suited to each, for use in movable schools 

 of agriculture. 



From the work already done by the Farmers' Institute Specialist 

 and from the opinions he has gathered concerning the needs of the 

 institutes it is apparent that this Department could much more 

 effectivel}^ aid the institute movement if it were in a position to 

 engage more actively in the dissemination of information concerning 

 the results of its investigations and those of the experiment stations 

 by means of lectures, charts, lantern slides, and special i^ublications. 



THE ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND STATIONS. 



The nineteenth annual convention of the Association of American 

 Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations was held in Wash- 

 ington, November 14-lG, 1905. Upon suggestion of the executive 

 committee the standing committees of the association were reduced 

 to four, namely (1) instruction in agriculture, (2) graduate study, 

 (3) extension work, and (4) experiment station organization and 

 policy. In the section on college work and administration the general 

 theme for all the papers and discussions was the field and functions of 

 the land-grant colleges. In the section on experiment station work 

 two subjects were considered, (1) soil investigations and (2) how 

 much demonstration work and what kind should the experiment sta- 

 tion undertake. The convention was largel}' attended and the inter- 

 est well maintained throughout. The wisdom of confining the dis- 

 cussions to one or two topics of general importance was quite fully 

 demonstrated. 



THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



The work of the Office of Experiment Stations has included no new 

 enterprises, except investigations on the application t)f power to farm 

 work, but it has grown in extent and importance in all lines. In the 

 supervision of station expenditures and the advisory relations with 

 the stations a closer study of the needs of these institutions has been 

 made with a view of rendering them more efficient aid in strengthen- 

 ing their organization and systematizing and developing their inves- 

 tigations. 



The collection and dissemination of information regarding the 

 progress of agricultural investigation and research throughout the 

 world have been put upon a better basis through changes in the Ex- 

 periment Station Itecord and additions to its staff, which will make 



