172 DEPAETMENTAL EEPOETS. 



plants; experiments witli hj^brid orange trees; tlie culture of dates, 

 tea, and tobacco; the planting of forest trees; the nutrition of farm 

 animals and of man; the effect of feeding stuffs on the chemical com- 

 position and physical character of Ijutter ; studies of diseases of plants 

 and animals; studies of alkali soils and seepage; the survey and 

 mapping of soils; and irrigation investigations. 



The cooperative enterprises in wliich the Department and stations 

 are engaged have not only increased in number, but also in scope and 

 variety. Besides the more formal enterprises, which involve the 

 expenditure of more or less money on both sides, there are many minor 

 ways in which the officers of the Department and the stations are help- 

 ing each other. Tlie Department has thus been brought into much 

 closer relations with the stations. 



The stations are becoming more alive to the advantages of such 

 cooperation, and are therefore more willing to engage in it under proper 

 conditions. Thej^ see in this a way to extend and make more efficient 

 the investigations in which they are themselves already engaged, and 

 also to undertake certain lines of work much needed in their respective 

 regions from whicli they have hitherto been debarred by lack of 

 funds. By a more intimate association with the Department on terms 

 which recognize their autonomy and local authority, they generally 

 believe that greater stability may be secured for their operations and 

 an increased measure of influence may be obtained with their own 

 constituencies. In considering what is j)racticable for the stations to 

 do by way of cooperation with the Department, it is necessary to have 

 a clear understanding of the comi^lex nature of their organization and 

 operations, as well as the extent and variety of the demands for service 

 made upon them by the agricultural and horticultural interests in 

 their own States. In the effort to meet these demands it has been 

 found necessarj^ to establish at each station a number of divisions, 

 reprej^'enting different branches of agricultural science. As consider- 

 able field work is generally expected of each station, quite a share of 

 their funds is expended for farm and garden operations. 



Thus the expenditures for salaries and labor necessarily consume 

 the greater portion of their income. In many cases this makes the 

 fund allotted to the several divisions of the station for the general 

 expenses of the investigations too small to enable them to undertake 

 these investigations in the thorough way wliich is desirable. It also 

 debars them oftentimes from attempting urgently needed investiga- 

 tions. When the Department negotiates with a station with reference 

 to securing its cooperation, it should therefore take into account the 

 fact that the station's funds are ordinarily fully used in operations 

 from which it can not withdraw. As a prerequisite to successful 

 cooperation it must have the assurance that the Department will con- 

 tribute a sufficient sum of money to enable the station to go beyond 

 what it is now doing as far as the requirements of the proposed cooj)- 

 erative plan maj^ demand. The station can often contribute the serv- 

 ices of one or more of its expert officers to conduct the work committed 

 to its charge by the Department, especially when this involves to a 

 greater or less extent simply the extension of enterprises in which the 

 station is already engaged. The station can also usually give labora- 

 tory, greenhouse, and farm facilities. It is in a position to materially 

 aid the Department in those enterprises which require the cooperation 

 of practical farmers and horticulturists in different localities. One 

 of the most useful things which may be done by the Department and 

 stations acting together is to increase the number of experimental 



