68 



on original research and to establish laboratories for practical tests of imple- 

 ments, a niui^euni for farm implements. ,^ . ^ 



The couunittee again reconnnends that the association declare itself in favor 

 of the creation of separate departments of agricnltural engineering in the 

 colleges ; that special efforts be made to assist the Secretary of Agricultui-e m 

 his endeavor to extend the work along these lines, and that the execntive com- 

 mittee nse all means in its power to urge upon Congress the importance of this 

 work and to convince them of the necessity of giving the Department liberal 



appropriations for these purposes. . 



• W. E. Stone, Chairman. 



W. A. Henry, of Wisconsin. I desire to call the attention of educators along 

 agricultural lines to the great importance and possibility of agricultural engi- 

 neering. In Wisconsin we have begun to develop these lines and have created a 

 department. I find a large correspondence from the farmer turning into that 

 department already, and we find students turning into the department. We have 

 two students who have elected farm engineering as their major study. The con- 

 struction of our farm buildings, their adaptation to the purposes reqaired. the 

 proper uses of machinery, the drainage of lands, are all to be considered. You 

 will find, I think, that a department of rural engineering will be a popular one 

 in your college. Let us imt in agricultural engineering and be in touch with our 

 farmers. When a farmer wants to make improvements on his farm he will come 

 to the college to get plans, and it should be prepared to furnish them. I believe 

 this to be a very practical means of helping our farmers. 



F. M. TiSDEL, of Wyoming. I want to state that last year we established at 

 the University of Wyoming a four years' course in irrigation engineering, and it 

 Is going to he one of the most important and useful courses in the college. 



The report was accepted. 



Animal and Plant Breeding — American Breeders' Association. 



W. M. Hays, chairman of the committee on this subject, presented the follow- 

 ing report: 



Your committee on plant and animal breeding accepted the invitation of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science, and called a meeting 

 during convocation week in St. Louis, December 29 and 30, 1!»03, to organize an 

 association. At a meeting of this committee held December 28 a form of consti- 

 tution and by-laws was prepared by your committee suggesting a plan of organi- 

 zation. Prol'. C. F. Curtiss was chosen president and W. U. Hays secretary of 

 the preliminary organization. Over fifty were in active attendance at the meet- 

 ing, and after full consideration and amendment, the proposed articles were 

 adopted as the organic law, and an organization was effected under the name of 

 the American Breeders' Association. A printed copy of the minutes is submitted 

 herewith. 



The plan of organization, like that of the parent organization, consists of a 

 general organization and two subordinate organizations, the one devoted to 

 plants and the other to animals. 



The following officers were chosen : 



President, Hon. James Wilson, Washington, D. C. ; vice-president, Hon. L. H. 

 Kerrick, Bloomington, 111.; secretary. Prof. W. M. Hays, St. Anthony Park, 

 Minn. ; treasurer, Prof. Oscar Erf. Manhattan, Kans. 



Animal section : Chairman. Hon. John Dryden, Toronto, Canada ; secretary. 

 Prof. F. B. INIumford, Columbia, Mo. 



Plant section : Chairman, Dr. II. J. Webber, Washington, D. C. ; secretary. 

 Prof. N. E. Hansen, Brookings, S. Dak 



This new organization, not having had a meeting since its organization, has 

 not yet had the op])ortnnity to apiiropriately recognize its obligations to the 

 parent organization nor its future relations thereto. 



The fees for annual membership are, for North America, $1 ; outside of North 

 America, $2 ; life nieml)ership, $20, with a twenty-five year limit on the mem- 

 bership of societies and libraries; patronships, $L000. Honorary memberships 

 are provided for, and Luther Burbank was given the honor of being the only 

 life member choseu at the lirst meeting. 



