54 KEPOET OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



to be far too frequent. The abandoning of lines of investigation be- 

 fore definite and final results have been secured which mark a con- 

 tribution to the subject results in reality in a waste of money. It 

 arises in part from changes in the station staff, but also from insuffi- 

 cient care in inaugurating the work and a failure of the station man- 

 agement to direct it or to fully appreciate the necessity of systematic 

 continued effort. 



The experience of the past five years has clearly shown the inad- 

 visability of accepting blanket projects, or propositions too wide in 

 scope or too indefinite in purpose or method. As a rule, where the 

 project has not been restricted and held to the definite problem, the 

 work has been sujDerficial and scattering and has lacked directness 

 and objectiveness. Every reasonable effort is, therefore, being made 

 to hold to the purpose of the Adams Act and to restrict expendi- 

 tures from it to those directly connected with definite research pro- 

 jects of high grade. 



The list of active projects has shown something of a decrease — 

 290 as compared with 335 the previous year. Twent3'^-one projects 

 were completed during the fiscal year and 43 new ones were ap- 

 proved and entered upon. In general, the character of the new 

 projects has shown a notable advance and many of the old ones have 

 been restated or developed along more fundamental lines than at 

 the outset. 



Wliile the Hatch fund continues to be drawn upon quite heavily 

 for general expenses of administration, the more liberal appropria- 

 tions for the stations and the colleges with which they are connected 

 have brought marked relief. The Hatch fund is now supporting a 

 larger amount of experimental work, the general character of which 

 is of higher grade. There has been an elimination of the simple 

 tests and demonstrations, and a greater tendency to confine the fund 

 to more thorough studies and investigation. At a number of the 

 stations there is now little real distinction between the orade and 

 purpose of the investigation conducted with the Hatch fund and 

 that conducted with the Adams fund. The influence of the Adams 

 fund and the requirement for the outlining of definite projects have 

 been far-reaching. 



In general, there has been a strengthening of the station organ- 

 ization, and a sharper differentiation of its work — at least in prin- 

 ciple if not fully in practice The conception of the exiDeriment 

 station as an agencj' for acquiring new knowledge is steadilj^ gaining 

 ground, and along with this the necessity of providing conditions 

 Avhich will leave the station forces primarily to conducting their ex- 

 periments and investigations is brought home more forcibly every 

 year. The growth of both the college teaching in agriculture and the 

 extension activities has emphasized this, for success in both of these 



