14 Director's Report of the 



varied work and shifting problems one year in advance of the time 

 at which the money is to be used. Again, with fixed salaries for 

 fixed positions, we are unable to exercise discretion in retaining 

 a man when he is called to another institution and it is wise to 

 increase his salary to hold him. In fact, the whole system is so fixed 

 and mechanical that it very seriously limits the autonomy of the 

 institution in handling its salary fund in an efficient and adaptable 

 manner. No more money is spent under the lump sum than under 

 the individualized salary plan. It is simply a question of giving 

 the authorities of the institution the opportunity to exercise judg- 

 ment in the application of these funds to the work of the institution. 



The labor item includes not only the labor necessary at this 

 Station but also in various localities outside in the State for carrying 

 on the experimental work in hand and is therefore an increase of 

 about $3,000 over the labor item for 1914-15, which did not include 

 outside labor. In the past our labor appropriations have been 

 more scanty in proportion to the need than any other appropriation. 



The expense of investigations and maintenance of the institu- 

 tion should be lumped because the general expenses of the institu- 

 tion are related to all our work. The whole purpose of the 

 institution is investigation and it simplifies bookkeeping and renders 

 more elastic and efficient the application of the funds where they 

 may be adjusted from year to year to somewhat varying distribution 

 of funds among the various objects. 



In general, it may be said because of more or less interchangeability 

 of men between various lines of work, because of the changes neces- 

 sary to adapt the work to the problems which come to us and be- 

 cause of the relation of expense to all of our work, it is simpler and 

 more rational to appropriate to the institution in those lump sums 

 rather than in a mechanical division which is often embarrassing 

 and which greatly adds to the work of administration of funds. 



NEW EQUIPMENT. 



The Experiment Station was established in 1882, and since that 

 time it has been growing slowly but continuously. This growth has 

 not been forced but has been the result of demands made by agri- 

 cultural people for the solution of important problems. During 

 the eighteen years in which I have been connected with the institu- 

 tion, the scientific and clerical staff has increased from fourteen 



