60 REPORT OF OFFICE OF KXPKIUMENT STATIONS. 



In Rhode Lsltind, wlicrc :iii cxperiinontal union was formed by tlie 

 station a year a^^o, over 100 cooperators conducted experiments the 

 past season under tlie general oversight of the station, fn "Wisconsin 

 this enterprise has assumed such proportions that the organization of 

 counlv branches of the State Kxiu'rinicnt Association is bcinir un- 

 dertaken with a view to close su])ervision of the exj^eriments and 

 greater specialization in planning tests to meet local conditions. 



THE SPECIAL FIELD OF STATION WORK. 



"Wliile the various popular features mentioned above broaden the 

 field of usefulness of the exi)eriment stations, they often make new 

 demands upon them which it is difficult to meet, and they increase 

 the danger of scattering the enei-gies of the station stafl". It is now 

 generally recognized that the members of the staff should be left to 

 give their time prinuirily to experimenting and research; and the 

 extension and demonstration features have reached a point where 

 special provision needs to be made for them. The interest and 

 thought which the subject is receiving from college and station men 

 was evidenced by the attention given to it at the convention of the 

 American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations at Wash- 

 ington in the fall of 1908 and at Portland in the summer of 1009. 

 The evident conviction in the minds of many members was that such 

 work should be more definitely provided for and should be separately 

 organized. 



The growing importance of this matter has made it necessary for 

 the Office to give much attention to it during the past year in the 

 administration of the station funds. The increased activity of the 

 stations in that direction has brought with it new problems relating 

 to the organization of the work and the relation of the station force 

 and funds to these enterprises. A clear differentiation of extension 

 work from the accepted forms of station activities is not always a 

 simple matter, and it is often difficult to determine what publications 

 should be issued by the extension department as distinguished from 

 the stations. The fact that the stations have the franking privilege 

 while the extension departments do not has easily led to the inclusion 

 in the list of station publications of many which are not in any true 

 sense reports of experimental work. 



The confusion has been increased by the fact that legislatures 

 granting funds for extension work have in many cases so worded the 

 appropriation acts as to put the money under the control of the sta- 

 tions. This has led to a feeling in some quarters that such work is 

 appropriate for the stations, and that they ought to retain and 

 develop it. The federal funds given to the stations are very apt to 

 become involved in extension work when it is done under such cir- 

 cumstances. The services of station officers paid from the federal 



