116 



have less of mathematics, but they have more of the sciences, and they have the 

 technical studies which closely border on sciences when taught pi'operly. 



Mr. Davenport. I believe thoroughly that there is a scientific way to teach 

 agriculture when we can find it. It is unscientific, I believe, to say to a man 

 who wants to study beef cattle that he must first study sheep. We must try 

 to meet the demand scientifically. Find the unit in his mind and meet it with 

 the unit instruction. Concentration is the ol)ject sought, but let the technical 

 training be done in the most scientific way possible. Of course, if the student 

 changes his plans, the special Information will be useless, and whether he 

 changes his plans or not much of the information employed in the instruction 

 will bo discounted in a few years, but the training he receives, the attitude of 

 mind, the ability to think and carry out a thing to its issue, will remain with 

 him. The pedagogic idea is the main idea in it. If the student has announced 

 his desire to study beef cattle, I should get him among the animals as soon as 

 possible. I should let him understand he is studying beef cattle at once, but I 

 should advise him to study chemistry at the same time. We requii-e a year and 

 a half chemistry before the student can study stock feeding. The moment he 

 announces his desires we begin to frame up his course of study, and he works 

 the whole thing together. 



Mr. Henrj- referred to the rapidity of the growth of specialization in teaching 

 agriculture since the agricultural colleges were first organized, and to his be- 

 lief from the beginning that this would be the tendeiicy. 



After some further discussion the section on college work' and administration 

 adjourned. 



SECTION ON EXPERIMENT STATION WORK. 



Afternoon Session, Tuesday, November 1. 1004. 



The section convened at 2.15 p. m.. Chairman E. H. Jenkins presiding. 

 On motion, the section resolved to have but two afternoon meetings, viz, on 

 Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. 



Organization of a Section on Botany and Horticulture. 



The communication of F. L. Stevens, of North Carolina, filing an application 

 from botanists and horticulturists, requesting that one of the sections of the 

 association be devoted to their interests, was referred to the section for consid- 

 eration. 



On this subject L. H. Pammel, of Iowa, said : 



I had an invitation from I'rofessors Stevens and Rane to prepare a paper for 

 this meeting. I was urged to l>e present to present a paper because on tbe 

 interest manifested in the \\ork would dejiend the organization of this section. 

 I favor the creation of such a section, but I must confess the sectional meetings 

 have not been entirely successful. I have attended fi^-e or six meetings of this 

 association, but at none of these meetings did we have a large attendance of 

 botanists and horticulturists. Inasmuch as this convention is largely a delegate 

 convention, it seems to me it is rather expecting too much to have the station 

 workers attend and pay tbeir own expenses. It seems to me, however, that the 

 station botanists and horticulturists have the right to know something about the 

 Asorlving policies of the institution, as these are the matters most discussed. 

 Under present circumstances you can never expect a large attendance from the 

 .station workers, outside of the director and president, who should by all means 

 attend. 



On motion of W. II. Jordan, of Ne\A- York, the application was not granted. 



