164 Pathologist U. S. Department of Agriculture 



ture. Scribner recommended Smith; and on February 10 Dabney 

 invited Smith to apply for the position of botanist at the experi- 

 ment station. While research was to be foremost, the offer called 

 for Smith to teach a class in elementary botany and an advanced 

 class in either botany or agriculture. 



Dr. Dabney had discussed this offer with Professor Spalding, 

 and it is likely that to obtain Spalding's opinion Smith went to 

 Ann Arbor. "Want of funds" was the only reason ascribed by 

 Scribner for discontinuing Smith's services. On October 31, 1887, 

 Dr. Beal, " as a friend of progressive agriculture [and] on [his] 

 own hook," had asked Smith whether he would accept an offer " to 

 work on fungi" at the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station 

 when, under the Hatch Act, that station should be fully organized 

 by February 21 with President Edwin Willits of the College as 

 director. L. H. Bailey also urged his friend and fellow-botanist 

 to investigate this position. 



Moreover, an interesting communication from the state of 

 Delaware was received. On February 25, 1888, Wesley Webb at 

 Dover advised Smith: "Our college directors are looking for 

 a man to take charge of the Experiment Station. I wish you 

 would apply." This was from the peach yellows region where the 

 youthful mvestigator had done much of his field research. He 

 took this suggestion seriously, and again letters recommending 

 him for a position with another college went forward, this time 

 to J. Alexander Fulton who was chairman of the committee on 

 selection. 



Professor A. J. Cook of Michigan Agricultural College wrote: 



I learn that there is some thought of appointing Mr. Erwin F. Smith to 

 the Directorship of your Station under the Hatch Bill. Mr. Smith is one 

 of my students. I regard his as a very superior student, and as a scientist 

 of great merit. As a fungologist I doubt if he has a superior in some 

 respects in the Country. He could do exceptionally good work in Dela- 

 ware where the Yellows prevail. We tried to secure Mr. Smith for our 

 Station but failed. 



Beal, Garfield, Barnes, Coulter, and others, sent letters which 

 Chairman Fulton found "highly creditable to [Smith] as a 

 scientist and gentleman." Arthur of Purdue University wrote his 

 recommendation direct to Smith: 



Your practical knowledge of agriculture and horticulture, and your 



