146 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 14, 1910. 



labours, as originally adopted, during long periods, and 

 indicates the great care that should be exercised in the 

 planning of such institutions. 



The success of the educative work of a station is 

 dependent mainl}' on its power to keep in close touch 

 wiljh the practical agriculturis^. This is chiefly done 

 by means of the initiatioti of lines of experiment that, 

 of necessity, require his co-operation, and it is here that 

 the work of sub-stations possesses one of its greatest 

 values. At these, the planter is afforded an opportun- 

 ity of viewing closely some of the work that is being 

 done for him, and it is by means of them that the solution 

 of detailed, local problems is afforded, although his 

 advisers will be, at the same time, fully cognisant of 

 their relation to the broad principles of agricultural 

 science. Another wa}' in which the planter is reached 

 is by the publication of results and advice. The 

 printed matter which is the outcome of this will be 

 made to present its information in two ways: there 

 will be the detailed results, together with the deduc- 

 tions that may be made from them. E.xperience has 

 shown that the best plan to follow in such work of 

 publication is to issue, in addition to the report 

 which contains particulars of all the work, including 

 the minutest statistical details of experiment, a short 

 account which will present the results of the work 

 briefly and succintly. It is with this object that 

 a certain proportion of the numbers of the Pamphlet 

 Series is issued by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture. Where there are several stations whose 

 efforts are correlated to a large degree, and which 

 are administered by one authority, it is best that 

 all such work of publication should be centralized, 

 with a view to the reduction of the labour and expense 

 of producing the printed matter, and to giving those 

 in charge of the stations more time for the attainment 

 of the definite objects of their labours. 



These outward manifestations of the energy that is 

 being emploj'ed in the conduct of an experiment 

 station are dependent most largely for their efficiency 

 on the work of its internal organization. There is evi- 

 denced in this the necessity for the existence of system 

 in procedure and the observance of regularity. Each 

 officer should possess definite routine duties, for the 

 performance of which he is directly responsible, but 

 should, withal, approach his work in an attitude of 

 mind which will lead to a readiness to interest himself 

 actively in any matter that those who direct his 

 energies may consider to be one on which he may 

 fittingly expend thrun. This precision should arise 

 naturally from the definiteness of the work which is 

 being done at the station. Added to this definiteness. 



such work should possess well-considered limitations; 

 there is a danger of makmg it too comprehensive. 

 Good, clearly appreciated results in the matters of 

 greater import are of more value than the somewhat 

 indefinite ideas which will be the outcome of work 

 over too wide a field of enquiry. 



Particular attention is merited in the matter of 

 taking and compiling the routine records of a station; 

 this work should be organized in such a way that its 

 continuity is assured in what may be almost termed an 

 automatic manner. Jluch of it will be attended to by 

 the younger workers at the station, and it will serve to 

 increase their interest in the matter if they are put in 

 the way of acquiring such knowledge as will enable 

 them to appreciate its usefulness and to arrive at 

 right interpretations of the information which it 

 gives. This care to gain the interest of the 

 younger worker should not, however, be confined to 

 these affairs alone, especially now that the experiment 

 station has fallen into a natural place in the scheme for 

 the agricultural education of those who will be employed 

 in a directive capacity on estates; his instruction, in 

 a sympathetic manner, should form part of the work of 

 those who direct his energies, and he, himself, should 

 realize strongly that he has a duty in the direction of 

 the continual pursuit of such studies as will make him 

 more efficient. 



Returning to the consideration of the experiment 

 station in a general way, it is fittingly pointed out here 

 that such an institution is not a model farm. Its aim 

 is to gain information in regard to the life of plants, and 

 to the relation of the plant to surrounding influences, 

 including that of the soil; in this manner its usefulness 

 is extended as widely as possible, In the same way, it is 

 not a mere information bureau. One of its duties, 

 certainly, is to supply answers to (juestions propounded 

 by those who are in need of agricultural advice, but 

 this is not the end and aim of its being. There is 

 often a need for a broader view of the reason for its 

 existence, both on the part of those who direct it, and 

 of those for whom it exists, and the acquirement of this 

 will lead to its widened efficiency. 



In its infancy, the experiment station scheme was 

 employed in such a way as to be merely of direct practic- 

 al use to the agriculturist, and this was wise, for such 

 a policy served to gain his confidence and often his 

 support. The time has arrived when tbis restricted view 

 must be modified. The aim of those who manage the 

 station must be high, and the attitu<le of such as use it 

 must be broadly sympathetic. Under these circum- 

 stances, only, will it progress to the stage of greatest 

 general utility. l 



