14 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



penclitures of all the different funds in order to determine the policy 

 pursued in the use of the Federal funds. In this connection numer- 

 ous questions have arisen with regard to the legitimate and most 

 effective use of these funds for experimental and research work. 



The increase in station resources and duties has involved a closer 

 inspection and a stricter adherence to the policy of restricting the 

 Federal funds to actual experimental work. As the law demands 

 that the Federal funds shall be used chiefly for experimental and 

 research work, it is practically imperative that the stations should 

 have some other revenues upon which to draw for administrative 

 nee'ds, printing, and those lines of work often demanded by the 

 kState, such as inspection, demonstration work, and other duties 

 which can lay no claim to being financed from the Federal funds. 

 The restriction of the Hatch and Adams funds to experimental and 

 research work has resulted in a more careful arrangement of the 

 station budget for the entire year. This consideration of the needs 

 of the different departments has brought about a more even and 

 regular expenditure of funds, as well as a better and more efficient 

 use of them. 



The apportionment of salaries in cases where station officials also 

 have college duties requires continued and careful supervision, 

 mainly because this matter did not receive the requisite scrutiny at 

 the proper time, and in many cases because the nccessar}^ arrange- 

 ment was not made with the college authorities before entering upon 

 the year's work. 



The experimental work proposed and submitted for approval 

 under the Adams fund was subjected to more searching scrutiny, 

 which required a more extensive correspondence regarding the work 

 before it was entered upon. In this manner a full understanding 

 with reference to the methods and purposes of the i^roposed investi- 

 gation was brought out and the Avork was placed on a proper basis. 

 The policy that the Avork submitted must be definite, restricted, and 

 specific was also more rigidly enforced. The experience with the 

 Adams fund work in general has clearly shown the advisability of 

 approving only projects properly limited in scope and definite in pur- 

 pose and methods. The legality of the expenditures is so largely de- 

 pendent upon the character of the investigation that the supervision 

 of the funds requires much careful study of the investigations as far 

 as their character, origin, features, and continuity are concerned. 

 The situation is often complicated by the partial support of tlie 

 projects from other funds and by the extent to which the Adams 

 fund is divided among relatively small undertakings and a large 

 number of workers. 



The expansion of the work of the stations in various directions 

 involves heavy administrative burdens and tends to draw into the 



