34 KKi'oirr of okkiok ok expekimknt stations. 



arc iiitorostcd in aiul iillVctcd by the iTsults of their work, and there- 

 fore it is proper that the peo])ie trenerally should conti'ihute to thiur 

 niuintenanee. If such a tlieory was reasonahh' when the vahie of the 

 work of the experiment stations was pi-obh-niatieal, it should certaiid}' 

 be much more etlective now that they have jjroved, their ^wnt useful- 

 ness as agencies for the promotion of agriculture throughout the United 

 States. 



STATISTICS OF THE LAND-GRANT COLLEGES. 



Educational institutions receiving the benefits of the acts of C-ongress 

 of rJuly 2, 1802, and August 30, 1S9(), are now in opei'ation in all the 

 States and Territories except Alaska, Hawaii, and Poito liico. The 

 total number of these institutions is (55, of which 63 maintain courses 

 of instruction in agriculture. The aggregate value of the permanent 

 funds and equipment of the land-grant colleges and universities in 1903 

 is estimated to be $69,778,463.25. The income of these institutions in 

 1903, exclusive of the funds received from the United States for agri- 

 cultural experiment stations, was $9,248,378.40. The value of the 

 additions to their permanent endowment and equipment in 1903 is 

 estimated to be $2,743,683.38. The number of persons in the faculties 

 of the colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts was 2,461, and in 

 other departments, 1,141, making a grand total of 3,602. The number 

 of students in 1903 was 52,489, of whom 3,146 were in four-year courses 

 in agriculture and 7,550 in shorter courses in agriculture, dairying, 

 horticulture, and veterinary science. The graduates in 1903 were 

 4,524, and since the organization of these institutions, 53,252. 



PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



The advance movement in agricultural education in this country has 

 continued during the past year and is exerting a constantly widening 

 influence. Results of agitation along these lines are seen in many 

 wa3^s. Provision for the higher education of agricultural experts is 

 being made in larger measure in the Department of Agriculture and 

 in some of our strongest agricultural colleges. There is a continued 

 demand for the establishment of a National graduate school of agri- 

 culture on a permanent basis. The regular courses of the agricultural 

 colleges have been more liberall}^ equipped through enlarged appro- 

 priations by the State legislatures, and these courses are becoming 

 much more effective through increasing specialization of instruction 

 and its extension to include such subjects as rural engineering and 

 rural econora}^, which have hitherto been largely neglected in these 

 institutions. 



The colleges are also making larger provision under their direct 

 auspices for secondary schools, short courses, summer schools, normal 

 courses, correspondence courses, farmers' institutes, and other forms 



