104 EXPERIMENT STATION BECOBD. 



whole field of agriculture. Work in each group will be concentrated 

 at one, or in some cases two, agricultural research institutions. Spe- 

 cial investigations for which provision can not be made at one of 

 these institutions will be carried on by means of separate grants. 

 The funds available are expected to provide aid at present for two 

 research institutions for plant breeding, two for animal pathology, 

 two for agricultural zoology, one research institution and two or 

 three local experimental gardens for fruit growing, and one institu- 

 tion each for plant pli3^siology, plant nutrition and soil problems, 

 animal nutrition, dairying, and the economics of agriculture. An 

 institution for animal breeding is ultimately contemplated, but 

 operations at present will be confined to one or two small grants. 



The research institutions are to be selected from the universities, 

 colleges, or similar existing agencies, preference being given to those 

 already possessing special facilities for a given line of work. The 

 grants are to be annual in duration, but it is intended to secure con- 

 tinuity in work and to employ pennanent staffs. The institutions 

 are expected to contribute from their own funds for the maintenance 

 of the work and for the provision of buildings, laboratories, or equip- 

 ment, though grants covering fifty per cent of the cost may be con- 

 tributed from the fund under certain conditions. Cooperation with 

 other institutions is to be encouraged, and duplication of work 

 reduced to a minimum. 



The publication of results is apparently to be largely through 

 the scientific journals, rather than directl}^ by the institutions in the 

 form of bulletins or reports. Popular abstracts are in all cases to 

 be furnished to the Joumwl of the Board of Agriculture for the 

 information of farmers and the general public. 



Great importance is attached to the provision of a local staff avail- 

 able for advisory work and for conducting local tests of the results 

 of the research work under field conditions, and the dissemination 

 among the farmers of the improved methods which may be dis- 

 covered. It is hoped that the local advisory staff stationed at cen- 

 ters distributed through the country Avill form a link between the 

 research institutions on the one hand and the practical farmer on 

 the other. 



A sum not exceeding $15,000 per annum is also to be available for 

 special investigations not otherwise provided for. These are to be 

 conducted under the auspices of existing institutions and utilizing 

 their facilities so far as possible. Pending the selection of the re- 

 search institutions, interim grants have been allotted to a number of 

 institutions for approved lines of investigation. Arnong these may 

 be cited $20,000 to Cambridge University, $10,000 for the Rothamsted 

 experiments, and smaller grants to Bristol University, University 

 College, Reading, the Southeastern Agricultural College, and the 

 Woburn Experimental Station. 



