8 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In agriculture, as in medicine, oftentimes knowledge of the causes 

 of trouble is attained long before a remedy is discovered. In other 

 cases results which have been reduced to practice locally require to 

 be tested more widely or to be modified to suit regional conditions. 

 In some very important lines the researches thus far made or now 

 in progress have been on too small a scale to yield satisfactory results. 



The limitations of our agricultural Iniowledge doubtless will be 

 felt more keenly as the rapidly growing system of extension work 

 develops. Rural people thus will be stimulated to study their con- 

 ditions more carefully and will discover new problems. The record 

 of the past half century indicates that the country relies very largely 

 upon the Department of Agriculture and the State experiment sta- 

 tions for the solution of such problems. It is clearly evident that 

 when normal conditions are restored it will be desirable for the 

 Congress to consider a well-balanced enlarged program for agricul- 

 tural research. 



It is not proposed at this time to suggest the special problems 

 most urgent and of largest practical importance to agriculture for 

 the investigation of which adequate means have not been provided. 

 Undoubtedly active research should be continued on those which 

 arise in connection with the regulatory activities of the department. 

 Beyond this, provision should be made as soon as practicable for 

 the further development of numerous lines of research related di- 

 rectly to production and distribution. While, as in the past, special 

 attention should be paid to investigations having direct and obvious 

 bearing upon practical agriculture, earnest efforts should be put forth 

 to discover underlying principles. 



With the funds at its disposal, the department, through its vari- 

 ous agencies, has continued to study problems of production. It has 

 assisted in combating plant and animal diseases, in encouraging 

 plant and animal breeding, in promoting better farm methods, in 

 improving farm business, and in encouraging a better balanced agri- 

 culture in the various sections of the Union. 



THE MEAT SUPPLY. 



In the last annual report particular attention was called to the 

 desirability of increasing the number of meat animals. The depart- 

 ment has given added attention to this problem and has extended 

 its activities as far as available funds permitted. The farmer who 



