102 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOKD. 



to elaborate measures for the institution of a national system of agri- 

 cultural research. From among these applications, definite approvals 

 were rendered to include about one-third of the annual income for the 

 five years to which the appropriations are restricted. Considerable 

 preliminary work was also completed in the allocation of the remain- 

 ing funds, and additional grants have subsequently been announced. 



Although the benefits of the act are by no means restricted to devel- 

 opment in agriculture, an examination of the report reveals the pre- 

 dominant position accorded the industry, grants for other purposes 

 being as yet relatively insignificant. This action, it may be concluded, 

 indicates a deep appreciation of the importance of agriculture to the 

 nation, a belief in the feasibility of government aid to the industry, 

 and a conviction as to the economic advantages to the government to 

 be derived from such aid. 



The commissioners announce that as regards agriculture they pro- 

 pose to devote their attention principally to three lines of action. 

 They aim first at increasing the amount and quality of production, 

 by aiding in the extension of a system of scientific investigation and 

 research and a system of education to bring the results into practice; 

 secondly, at increasing the variety of production, by determining 

 what new crops and industries can be added with reasonable prob- 

 ability of profit; and, thirdly, at encouraging the organization of 

 cooperative enterprises. They also propose to stimulate forestry 

 development, but consider the first step in this work to be the forma- 

 tion of a trained body of foresters. 



As regards the promotion of specific industries and products, a 

 number of grants have been approved. The first was one of about 

 $200,000 for the encouragement of light horse breeding in Great 

 Britain, and another allotted $50,000 to horse breeding in Ireland. 

 Advances of from $125,000 to $150,000 for the purchase of land in 

 Ireland for afforestation purposes have been agreed to, and investi- 

 gations are being made by scientific experts as to the propriety of 

 expenditures in encouragement of flax, hemp, tobacco, and sugar- 

 beet growing. 



It is of interest to note that one principle upon which the commis- 

 sioners are insisting to applicants is that in all cases there be sub- 

 mitted a definite plan of operations. This is somewhat analogous to 

 the project method which is becoming increasingly adopted in this 

 country. The commissioners state that " some applications have 

 tended to be little more than a statement of the desirability of spend- 

 ing money for some purpose, accompanied by a request for a grant 

 to be spent at the discretion of the apjplicant in promoting that pur- 

 pose. A reasonable elasticity in the details of schemes is of course 

 quite legitimate, joarticularly when the schemes are in the nature of 

 breaking new ground; and the commissioners do not expect the 

 destination of a gi^ant or loan to be fixed down to the last penny be- 



