OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 745 



lem to be solved. There is needed for its solution a force of experts 

 to give attention to investigation in agricultural economics with a 

 view to increasing the jn-ofits of production to the individual farmer 

 as well as for investigating the social conditions of country life with 

 a view to the betterment of rural living. There is also needed a 

 corps of men and women to study broadly the problems of rural 

 education, both as regards the teaching of agriculture to resident 

 students in colleges and schools and the discovery of etfective methods 

 for carrying practical information of agricultural character to the 

 great mass of people out of school and for whose education in agri- 

 culture adequate provision has not been made. The lack of infor- 

 mation in these directions and the entire absence of uniformitj' in 

 method among educators in carrying on such work or of knowledge 

 of each other's practice are sufficient reasons for the organization of 

 such a force. 



Obviously this is a large matter. "We have yet to learn how to 

 bring the results of scientific investigation and the best practical 

 experience home to the masses of our rural population so as to ma- 

 terially increase production per acre and make country life more 

 generally satisfactory. 



The w'ork of the Office relating to farmers' institutes and kindred 

 organizations has been along practically the same lines as in previous 

 years, the collecting of statistics showing the condition of the farmers" 

 institute movement in this country and abroad; the publishing of 

 reports, circulars, and bulletins of information; lecturing before 

 farmers' organizations and educational associations; and conducting 

 correspondence, especially with state organizations and officers in 

 charge of farmers' institutes and similar work. 



Owing to the rapidly growing interest in college extension in agri- 

 culture, the duties of the institute specialist, who is acting as secre- 

 tary of the committee on extension work of the Association of Ameri- 

 can Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, have been quite 

 considerably increased. Collecting statistical information, visiting 

 educational institutions, and lecturing before extension workers indi- 

 cate the general character of the work. Similar service has been per- 

 formed for the American Association of Farmers' Institute Workers^ 

 involving, among other things, the editing of the report of the pro- 

 ceedings. 



The work of the Office has been materially aided through the 

 assistance of Dr. J. M. Stedman, whose appointment as assistant 

 farmers' institute specialist was made a year a^o. 



With the broadening of the work of educating the masses of our 

 rural jiopulation, the farmers' institutes are no longer the only public 

 agencies for such service, and it is practically impossible to draw any 

 strict line of demarcation between them and the other agencies for 

 what is now generally denominated extension work in agriculture. 

 It is therefore recommended that the language of the appropriation 

 act be changed so as to give definite authority for aiding extension 

 departments as well as farmers' institutes. 



PUBLICATIONS OF THE OFFICE. 



The growth of the work of the Ollice during the year has resulted 

 in an increase in amount of published matter. During the fiscal 

 year the Department published 80 documents, aggregating 4.824: 



