EDITORIAL. O 



take over fully the bureau of information work and publications and 

 leave the station workers free to pursue their more legitimate 

 functions. 



Among the results attending the third session of the general as- 

 sembly of the International Institute of Agriculture, which was held 

 in Rome May 14-20, has been the bringing to the attention of the 

 public the substantial progress which is being achieved in the devel- 

 opment of this enterprise. Much of the interval which has elapsed 

 since the initial conference in 1905 has of necessity been occupied 

 in obtaining the cooperation and support of the forty-eight nations 

 which have signed the convention establishing it, and in solving the 

 relatively complex problems incident to the organization of so novel 

 and extensive an undertaking. With the passing of the pioneer stage, 

 however, the work of the Institute has been assuming more tangible 

 form, and the last two years in particular have been noteworthy for 

 the inauguration of several promising lines of work, among these the 

 establishment of a number of serial publications of interest to scien- 

 tific workers in agriculture. 



It will be recalled by those familiar with the plan of organization 

 of the Institute" that the general assembly is its governing body. 

 Its duties are to vote the budget of the Institute, to review and ap- 

 prove the work of the " permanent committee," which is the executive 

 body, and to authorize any changes contemplated in the plan and 

 methods of work. 



The assembly is a delegate body to which special representatives 

 are sent by the adhering countries. In the decision of questions the 

 various nations are on an equal footing, each having a single vote. A 

 nation may, however, send as many delegates as it desires, and in 

 most instances several representatives are appointed. In consequence 

 the meetings are the occasion of bringing together a considerable 

 bod}^ of men interested in agriculture from all over the world, and 

 the social features which attend the gatherings serve to emphasize in 

 a striking way the international aspect of this union of the world's 

 forces in the promotion of the greatest of international industries. 



As is well known, credit for the conception of the general plan of 

 the Institute belongs to an American, Mr. David Lubin, of Cali- 

 fornia, who has remained the representative of this country on the 

 permanent committee throughout. The delegates to the recent gen- 

 eral assembly included Hon. David J. Foster, recent chairman of the 

 Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; 

 Hon. Charles F. Scott, formerly chairman of the House Committee 

 on Agriculture; Director E. Dana Durand, of the Bureau of the 



° For a detailed account of the formation and plan of organization of the 

 Institute, see a previous note (E. S. R., 19, pp. 500-503). 



