PROGRHSS IX .\(;RIClIi;rURA]. l:l)rCATIO\. 1908. 



By A. C. Tkl'e, 

 Director of tlie Office of Experiment Stations. 



EDUCATIONAL WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In his annual report for 1903, the Secretary of Agriculture called 

 attention to the large work which the Departmentof Agriculture is doing 

 in training agricultural experts, taking for this purpose students and 

 graduates from the agricultural and other colleges and giving them 

 special instruction in connection with the research work of the 

 Department. 



The Depart inont has tluisbecoino a post-<rraduateiniJtitution, where groups of sciences 

 are taught and ai)plie(l. (V)mi)aratively Httle time is devoted to the ascertainment 

 of alistrai't scientific facts. Every worker is iielping somebody, and while doing 

 this he is contributing to what is known relating to the farm and to the education 

 of his associates. 



Four hundred and ninety-six students have been admitted to the Department 

 fur instruction since 1897 as experts in our several lines of work. Two hundred and 

 forty-nine of these still remain with us, not less than l.'>2 having i)assed into the 

 cla.ssitied service, 185 having gone elsewhere to teach, experiment, or demonstrate in 

 private enterprise what they have learned from their teachers, who are our best- 

 equipped S(-ientists in their several specialties. * * * 



The Weather Bureau has, through its officials at tiie various stations throughout 

 the country, taken an active part in pul)lic eilucation along meteorological lines. In 

 12 colleges or universities during the i)astyear Weather Bureau officials have conducted 

 regular courses of lectures or cla.s.ses of instruction in meteorology and climatology, 

 and at 5 of these institutions the ollicial is a nuTuber of the faculty. At 1(? stations 

 the oliicials have delivered occasional addresses outside of their offices to schools or 

 colleges, and at 28 .'stations they have given frequent talks in their oftices to pujjils 

 and teachers of schools. In 14 instances they have delivered occa.sit)nal addresses 

 out*i<le of their ftffices to farmers' institutes and similar firganizations. Only a few 

 years ago there was very little instruction of this nature given in our colleges, universi- 

 ties, or public schools, but the demand for it has rapidly increased. The action of 

 the Bureau in this direction will undoubtedly result in a wider knowledge and a 

 more intelligent under.«tanding of its work, and a conse(iuent increa.«e in its u.«eful- 

 ness and value. Many of the young nu'u who receive instruction in these classes 

 are attracted to the service of the Bureau as an occupation, and the Bureau profits by 

 securinga cla.«sof i-mployees with special training and e(iuipment. * * * 



This Department has lu-en aiding the school-garden movement in sevi-ral ways. 

 Through the IJureau nf I'lant Industry it hiw distril)Uted spi-cial packages of vegetal)le 

 and flower seeds to a large number of schools, and conducted a number of scliool- 

 gardening experiment« in cooperation with the schools and charitable organizations 



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