THE ADAMS ACT. 71 



it carries, and to realize in full measure the provision it makes for 

 adding to our fund of definite scientific knowledge in agriculture. 



The general attitude of the association was well expressed in the 

 report of the new standing connnittee on station organization and 

 policy, which is composed of the following representative station 

 directors: E. Davenport, of Illinois, chairman; C. D. Woods, of 

 INfaine ; W. A. Henry, of Wisconsin ; H. J. Waters, of Missouri ; M. 

 A. Scovell, of Kentucky, and C. E. Thorne, of Ohio. This report 

 states that — 



The committee found itself in accord with the Office of Experiment Stations 

 in regard to the general scope of investigations that can properly he under- 

 taken under the Adams Act. There has been during the year the most cordial 

 relation and a very complete understanding between the committee and the 

 Office of Experiment Stations in regard to the policy to be pursued, and the com- 

 mittee heartily indorsed the letters and circulars of the Office relative to the 

 Adams Act. 



While the committee deemed it impracticable at that time to deter- 

 mine in detail the kinds of work to be fostered under the new fund, 

 it laid down the following broad proposition : 



It is evidently the intention of the Adams Act to provide the means for carry- 

 ing on investigations of a relatively high order with a view to the discovering of 

 principles and the solution of the more difficult and fundamental problems of 

 agriculture. To this end it is very desirable that careful attention shall he 

 given to the choice of definite problems to be studied and the methods by which 

 the solution of these problems is to be sought. Investigations in connection 

 with which there is good reason to expect the establishment of principles of 

 broad application should be preferred to those which have only local or tem- 

 porary importance or from which only superficial results are to be obtained. 



The ideal college should be symmetrical, in that it is equally developed in all 

 lines. A station need not be symmetrical. One or two strong departments are 

 better than many weak departments. In selecting the lines of work due refer- 

 ence should be given to the special needs of the State in which the station is 

 located, but the lines of work adopted should be only such as have a reasonable 

 expectation cf leading to the establishujent of principles of broad application. 

 These lines of work need not be new lines. Indeed, strengthening lines of 

 investigations now in progress may be fully as important as the establishment 

 of new lines. 



At the present time we must confine ourselves to general principles in select- 

 ing the line of research to be taken up under the Adams Act. 



To be sure that these lines ai-e in the scope of the Adams Act, it will be neces- 

 sary for the station administration to clearly understand what constitutes 

 research. 



Only a few lines can be advantageously undertaken at a time. What these 

 lines of investigation shall be must be determined chiefly by the equipment of 

 the station in men and facilities. 



The commanding position of the man as the most important factor 

 in research w^as strongly emphasized by the committee, and almost 

 as a corollary to this it was urged that " the man and his line of work 

 must be suitable to each other." 



