OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 737 



the same time their funds for experimental work have more than 

 doubled. These institutions are therefore in constant process of reor- 

 ganization and in many places the readjustment of the organization 

 has not kept pace with the increase of duties. It is evident that a 

 more ample plan of atlininistration must be adopted before the most 

 efficient service in all lines can be performed. Presidents and deans 

 are not the only administrative officers required by the new situation. 



The experiment station, as the research division of the college, has 

 in itself become of such size and iiuportance that it needs a distinct 

 officer to administer its affairs. The proper management of an experi- 

 ment station ha^■ing an annual income of from $30,000 to $75,000 or 

 more and operations covering many branches of agricultural science 

 and practice, with vital relations to the daily interests of many thou- 

 sands of people, is a large matter and involves a heavy responsibility. 

 To achieve the best results the station director should follow the busi- 

 ness of the station closely, know definitely what is going on in the dif- 

 ferent departments, and study carefully the relation of the station's 

 work to that of other similar institutions and to the agriculture of the 

 State, the nation, and the world. This can hardly be done in a satis- 

 factory way when his service as director is merely incidental to other 

 exacting and time-consuming duties. The attempt to cover so much 

 administrative ground is too often shown in the lack of a clearly de- 

 fined policy, the absence of adequate supervision of expenditures, and 

 general unfamiliarity with the plans and work of the several depart- 

 ments. Very many of the difficulties in detail encountered by the 

 Office in the supervision of the federal funds given to the stations 

 now arise from lack of adequate local administration. The Office 

 is therefore urging the consideration of this fundamental question 

 and has widely discussed it with station officers during the past year. 



In several States there has been an increased tendency toward 

 differentiation of effort and duties on the part of the station staff, 

 relieving them in large degree from college and inspection work and 

 extension duties. Such a conserving of their time and relief from 

 distracting interruption is proving to be a great advantage, which 

 is reflected in more advanced and productive investigations and in a 

 greater attractiveness of the positions. Men are coming to consider 

 the opportunity for work, represented by the conditions, as well as 

 the salary which the position carries, 



A\Tiile the Office is following closely and criticising frankly the 

 work and expenditures of the stations, it is also deeply impressed 

 with the augmenting scientific and practical strength and impor- 

 tance of their operations, as well as the growing appreciation of the 

 value of their results by the agricultural people throughout the 

 United States. The granting of federal aid to original research 

 under the Adams Act" has been abundantly justified in that it has 

 materially raised the level of scientific aim and accuracy of the 

 operations of the stations. Instead of minimizing their more prac- 

 tical work this has led the States to increase largely their funds for 

 substations and special experimental work. The American system 

 of agricultural experiment stations is therefore more comprehensive, 

 far-reaching, and permanently established than ever before. 



One further step is needed to complete this system and demon- 

 strate to the world that our agricultural progress is being perma- 

 nently assured because it rests on a scientific foundation. A suitable 



73477°— AGB 1910 17 



