STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 581 



Correspondence with the stations continued to be heavy through- 

 out the year. It related to matters of administration and policy as 

 well as to projects and accounts. A considerable number of new 

 projects have been submitted for review and approval, while in other 

 cases the office has requested the revision of existing projects to make 

 them more effective, and in still other cases has advised that steps 

 be taken toward their completion and termination. Greater atten- 

 tion to the making of a general plan of operations to cover a period 

 of several years has been advocated, and steps in that direction are 

 being more generally taken. The more definite planning of specific 

 projects is also being emphasized, with full reference to the present 

 status of information and a clear setting forth of the problem in 

 restricted form, an indication of the point of attack, and the general 

 method of procedure. From an administrative standpoint this is 

 found by directors to be increasingly important, serving to maintain 

 latitude and direction without unnecessary restriction. 



The office has compiled a list of. the station bulletins from their 

 beginning, at the suggestion of the director of scientific work. This 

 makes a voluminous document, but should be helpful as a check list 

 and as a means of determining when and where specific investiga- 

 tions were carried on and published. 



The chief of the office has continued to cooperate with the standing 

 committee of the Association of Land-Grant Colleges on experiment 

 station organization and policy, and with that on projects and 

 correlation of research. 



PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION. 



Many administrative problems continue to surround the stations, 

 and these have been the object of considerable attention. Emphasis 

 has continued to be laid on the distinctive place of the experiment 

 station in the scheme of the agricultural college. This calls for an 

 organization and administration to deal with its work and the gen- 

 eral promotion of its welfare. There is still opportunity in some 

 cases for the perfection of the station organization, the recognition 

 of its distinct field, and the direction of its energies in the most 

 profitable channels. Not only the conservation of its resources, both 

 technical and financial, but the development of an esprit de corps and 

 of a consciousness of membership in an organized branch of effort, 

 are implied in the type of organization advocated. In some cases 

 there has been little progress in the direction of closer unity of pur- 

 pose and responsibility to the station and its constituents as a whole, 

 while the division of former departments and the multiplication of 

 units has sometimes tended to diffuse and segregate interest. It has 

 led also to a less distinct recognition of the special field and function 

 of the station as an agency primarily for research. 



The combination of the office of dean and director has not always 

 worked advantageously to the station, and has been the subject of no 

 little comment on the part of the office. Frequently it is not adequate 

 to the needs of the station for administrative attention, and it does 

 not necessarily result in the selection of a person especially compe- 

 tent by training and experience to exercise leadership in research. 

 Such a form of organization may affect the office in its relations with 

 the stations connected with large colleges. Unless an associate is 



