EDITOEIAL. 105 



of the trustees or a board of control. Such bodies may be very help- 

 ful to the station, acting in much the same way that the full board 

 does for the whole institution ; but misdirected and undue activity on 

 their part may be even more harmful than in the case of the college, 

 and seriously handicaps its workers. 



The first action of the board of control should be to appoint a 

 director who by training and other qualifications is competent to 

 have intrusted to him the scientific activity, the business, and the 

 general management of the station. He is to be the administrative 

 officer of the station, in charge of the persons on its staff, its work as 

 a whole, and its general business. He is the keynote of the organiza- 

 tion. In the final analysis he will be held largely responsible for 

 the success of the station, and if he is given support and opportunity 

 the making of the station will be largely in his hands. His position 

 is therefore a responsible and important one, and requires for success 

 a man3^-sided ability, as it does a just recognition of the functions of 

 his office. 



The director must be first of all a man of scientific training, having 

 judgment and sympathy in regard to investigation for agriculture 

 in a broad way. To this he should add experience in experiment 

 station work and familiarity with its field. Such a man is indis- 

 pensable to the upbuilding and maintenance of a strong corps of 

 workers and the intelligent development of their work. The time 

 has passed when the administration of a station can properly be 

 assigned to a farmer or any other business man, however competent 

 and progressive he may be along agricultural lines. Agricultural 

 investigation and experiment is a work for experts, and the general 

 direction of such persons requires a man of broad training in science, 

 able to appreciate the work of the specialists, to guide it in profitable 

 channels, and to encourage and stimulate the investigators to their 

 best efforts. 



The successful director must also be a man of executive ability. 

 This applies not only to the investigation work but to the business 

 side of the station. He must be able to so organize the affairs of the 

 station that they will move smoothly and in a businesslike manner; 

 and while giving large freedom and responsibility to members of the 

 staff, he must consider the lines of work which are to be taken up 

 and keep in touch with the progress in the various departments. 

 All persons connected with the station should be responsible to him 

 as far as their station work is concerned, and the board and the presi- 

 dent of the college should deal with them on station matters through 

 the director. There can not be a divided responsibility in this 

 matter, and there can be no efficient administration when the men are 

 subjected to direction from members of the board or are encouraged 

 to go around the director in seeking support from the board. 



