CONVENTION OF COLLEGES AND EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 15 



" The number of inadequate, incorrect, or ambiguous references found in tlie 

 greater number of scientific publications well illustrates the prevalence, to a 

 deplorable degree, of carelessness or ignorance on the part of authors and 

 publishers in this important matter. The annoyance and loss of time occasioned 

 in consequence is part of the experience of every user of scientific literature." 



Semicentennial celebration. — The committee on the semicentennial celebra- 

 tion reported, through Dr. A. C. True, that the plan to hold an international 

 congress of agricultural education in 1912, to celebrate the anniversaries of the 

 passage of the first Morrill Act and the act establishing the National Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the passage of the 

 Hatch Act, had to be abandoned on account of the failure of (Dongress to take 

 action in the matter. 



The committee recommended that the executive committee be instructed to 

 make a special feature, at the next meeting of the association, of exercises com- 

 memorating the passage of these important acts. 



Agricultural associations. — By invitation, Mr. N. Kaumanns, German com- 

 missioner for agriculture to the United States, presented a review of the de- 

 velopment of German agricultural associations and a critique of similar asso- 

 ciations in this country. He traced the history of the German cooperative 

 associations and legislation pertaining to them, and described the various forms, 

 relationships, and responsibilities of these associations. 



In commenting upon cooperative organizations in the United States, he noted 

 the almost entire lack of credit associations, which have played so prominent 

 and important a part in Eui'ope. This was considered a great drawback and 

 to be responsible for much of the depletion of soils. Another deficiency noticed 

 was the almost total lack of fraternal insurance among farmers to cover crop 

 injury, live stock, etc. 



" It seems to me," he said, " that the business sense of the American farmer 

 has, in a way, retarded tfle regulating of farming and of selling on the coopera- 

 tive plan. The American idea of farming from its earliest days has been in- 

 fluenced by the principle of absolute freedom and independence in the conduct 

 of business, and this has been the cause of the suppression of communal in- 

 terests. The American farmer is in no way attached to his land. He works 

 especially for the large market and particularly for city trade. It may be said 

 that he has always stood for free competitive farming ; therefore the reverse of 

 a cooperative association was the highest achievement of American agricultural 

 efficiency." 



Mr. Kaumanns prophesied great advantage from the development of agricul- 

 tural cooperative enterprises in this country, resulting in " a real agricultural 

 solidarity, which, in Europe, is a historic fact." 



Forestry in coUeges and stations. — In a paper entitled " Forestry ; the part 

 that colleges and experiment stations may play in its development," Prof. F. W. 

 Rane, State fox*ester of Massachusetts, laid emphasis on the restoration as well 

 as the conservation of forests in certain parts of the country, and pointed out 

 the need of the more widespread education of the people who are to own and 

 manage the forest lands, a service which, he maintained, naturally falls to the 

 land-grant colleges. 



Recognizing the product of the forest as a crop, he urged that the subject 

 " should be required in the agricultural courses to a point sufficient for a com- 

 prehensive knowledge of it, allowing students opportunities to specialize 

 later on." Special schools for technical foresters have been provided, perhaps 

 in sufficient number to meet present needs, but the speaker urged that " there 

 is a great and growing need for a general forestry education sufficient to 

 practice modern methods." 



