()40 KKTOKT OF OFFICE OF KXI'KIUMKNT STATIONS. 



It is rlciir tliat (lie lirst j^ivjit need is some ctioctive iiicthod for 

 iii('r(':isiii<>- (lie miinhi'r of tcsichors ciipahlc* of t^'-ivino- instruction uloiij^ 

 tlu> lines of ayriciiltund scioncc. Tlu' munhor of spcciully educated 

 and carefully traiiunl instructors in a<^riculturo is at present liinitod. 

 Many of the most conipctent men graduated l)y the at^ricultural col- 

 legos each yi^ai' are heinjj;- eni^aged l)y the colleges and stations for the 

 work of insti-uction, while others are employed in directing farm 

 ojjerations on a large scale for eom})anies, or on the estates of wealth}' 

 capitalists, and are therefore fully occupied with the duties that they 

 have assumed. Their time is thus preempted in a way that makes it 

 impractit-ahle for them to devote any considei'able portion of it to the 

 oeneral work of educational extension in the institute^ field. 



It will doubtless l)e many years l)efore a sutticient numl)er (jf highly 

 educated and liberally trained scientists can be had to supply the 

 demands of the institute work. On the other hand it ndght ))e possible, 

 through the cooperation of the agricultural colleges and experiment 

 stations and the National Department of Agriculture, to equip a large 

 number of practical men along at least one line, or in a single specialty, 

 so as to make them capable teachers in that respect. To do this there 

 should l)e oro-aniz(^d some system ])v wliich men who have made a life 

 pursuit of some phase of agricultural practice can be discovered and 

 can be furnished with the latest and best information relating to their 

 specialty. These men should be sought out in every State, their names 

 listed and correspondence opened with the view of interesting them in 

 perfecting their education. 



To this end courses of study might be prepared b}' the agricultural 

 colleges and by this Department under the correspondence system, 

 which would enable these specialists to supplement their practical 

 experience with the scientific training that each needs for the eft'ective 

 presentation of that which he undertakes to teach. It might l)e well 

 also for the agricultural colleges to consider the practicability of estab- 

 lishing normal courses for farmers' institute instructors which would 

 enable the institute lecturers to attend certain lectures and engage in 

 appropriate studies and courses of reading, not for general culture, 

 but for information along specific lines, permitting each student to 

 select topics relating to his specialty. From time to time the body of 

 students in attendance upon these institute courses could be assemlded 

 for general lectures upon the art of teaching and the practical methods 

 of institute work. Examinations could be required of each student in 

 the specialty which he has selected, and a suitable certificate of pro- 

 ficiency be given b}' the college which would be of service in securing 

 invitations for institute engagements. This course ought perhaps to 

 extend through several weeks and include a system of laboratory and 

 field practice that would give the students some insight into the methods 

 pursued in research work. 



