100 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



A icpoit of the receipts and expenditures for the United States 

 funds has heen lendered in acconhmce with the schedules prescribed 

 by thi.s I)ei)artnient and has been approved. 



Wliile. as the above report shows, the Idaho Station has done 

 some creditable woiU and made a number of iinj)()rtant improve- 

 ments durin««: the past year, the conditions at the station for a large 

 ])ait of the time have not been such as could be expected to develop 

 its highest usefulness and efliciency. 



The director of the station was forced to resign near the close of 

 the year, after several years of faithful and conscientious service 

 which in view of the somewhat adverse conditions had been credit- 

 able to himself and to the institution. This act of the board and 

 the events leading up to it were resented by several members of the 

 staff, who considered it unjust and an unwarranted blow at the 

 stability of station positions. The spirit of the staff was broken, 

 and two of its members were led to action which resulted in their 

 removal during the fall. Although the change in director was con- 

 templated for some time a successor was not chosen for nearly nine 

 months, and in the meantime the station affairs were left to an 

 acting director. 



No station can escape the effects of such a course. Its work was 

 interrupted and seriously interfered with, the confidence of the 

 start' was shaken, and the station was given an undesirable reputation. 

 It is sometimes necessary to make changes in the personnel of an 

 experiment station, but when this is done it should be done in a 

 manner that will leave no question that the action is prompted by 

 the best interests of the institution, and that the position of its 

 personnel as workers in a scientific institution is fully recognized. 



The Department's disapj^roval of the course pursued was clearly 

 set forth, and the course of action necessary to restore the station 

 to a proper working basis was pointed out. Pending the settle- 

 ment of affairs the payment of the federal funds was withheld from 

 the institution. 



The station has now been reorganized, with a new director and 

 several new members on its staff, and it is hoped that stable con- 

 ditions have been established which will enable it to continue its 

 work effectively, and will guard it against future attack or 



interference. 



ILLINOIS. 



Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Illinois, Vrbana. 



Department of the University of Illinois. 



Eugene Davenport. M. Agr., Director. 



The large amount of work of a scientific and practical nature con- 

 ducted by the Illinois Station is facilitated and well supported by 



