EDITORIAL. 409 



of useful ways. The experience of the past offers many ilhistrations 

 of this, and the present growth of agricultural instruction with its 

 attendant needs multiplies the opportunity for helpful donations. 



In the field of experimentation, which furnishes the backbone of 

 instruction and extension efforts, as well as the improvement of 

 farming efficiency, it may be pointed out that the world still lacks 

 a large and permanently endowed institution for research in agricul- 

 ture, analogous to the Rockefeller Institute in the field of medical 

 research, for example. There is much which can not be done, or 

 done in the way it should be, for the lack of suitable funds. 



On a less pretentious scale the aiding of definite lines of inquiry, 

 especially those to which public funds may not be immediately 

 available, would furnish practical means of promoting inquiry in 

 a field or special group of problems in which interest lay, and the 

 endowment of an institution so that it could pursue such inquiries 

 through a considerable period would be the best means of furthering 

 such an end. The present status of agricultural research offers 

 great opportunity for such special fundamental studies before the 

 more simple forms of experiment can hope to make definite progress, 

 as, for example, the functions of animal nutrition, or the physio- 

 logical conditions and relationships of plant gi-owth, or a further 

 refinement of methods of experimentation ; and in another direction 

 the provision for certain classes of technical publications would 

 solve a present perplexity and a great hindrance to progress. 



With the recent revival of interest among nonagricultural people 

 in agriculture and country life, and the increasing realization of 

 the fundamental importance of agricultural development to the 

 prosperity of the nation, greater attention to the possibilities af- 

 forded by the use of private funds may confidently be expected in 

 the future. The situation may be summarized in the words of Sir 

 George Clarke, in a recent address at the opening of the Poona 

 Agricultural College, in which he says: "If the nature and vast 

 importance of agi'icultural work were more widely known I am 

 certain that our many wealthy and generous philanthropists would 

 come forward to help. There can be no better proof of patriotism 

 and no better way of promoting prosperity than the increase and 

 development of the production of the land which lies within our 

 power if adequate means were available." 



