WORK AND EXPENDITURES OF THE AGRICULTURAL 



EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



By A. C. True and E. W. Allen. 



The year 1905-6 was one of unusual activity among the experiment 

 stations. The increased State api^ropriations received by several of 

 the stations provided for the enlargement of their work and the intro- 

 duction of new features, and the passage of the Adams Act increasing 

 the Federal appropriation necessitated a large amount of prelim- 

 inar}^ work in the way of perfecting plans, adjusting the working 

 force, providing facilities, etc. 



The passage of this act was not only the most important event of 

 the year to the experiment stations, but was the most significant and 

 far-reaching event of any year since the stations were established. 

 It marks a distinct era in the life of the stations and in agricultural 

 investigation. It not only provides increased funds for the station 

 work, but it stipulates that this shall be of advanced character. It 

 has served to draw attention sharply to a consideration of what con- 

 stitutes scientific research in agriculture as distinguished from the 

 mere acquisition of empirical knowledge. The result has been a 

 general uplift in the conception of the duties and responsibilities of 

 the stations, and a stimulation of activity in all the more advanced 

 lines of investigation. The stations were in great need of additional 

 funds for the development of their work to meet the popular demands 

 upon them; but the most imperative need of agriculture was for 

 research of a thorough and fundamental character, to lay the founda- 

 tion for intelligent and improved practice. The activities of the 

 stations had led up to this and had made it imperative if the stations 

 were to keep abreast of the demands upon them. 



An inevitable result has been the setting of a higher standard of 

 qualifications in station workers, a more general realization of the 

 prime importance of the worker in investigation, and the necessity 

 of a broad and thorough scientific training as preparation for this 

 work. It is now realized as never before in the history of the sta- 

 tions that the first requirement is for well-trained men capable of 

 planning and successfully carrying on the work of the various de- 

 partments; and as the supply of men with such qualifications was 

 considerably below the demand, there was a considerable shifting of 



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