EDITORIAL. 1003 



finds itself compelled to advance to responsible position and <^<)od sal- 

 aiy a man of inadequate i)i'eparation, the connnittee specially recom- 

 mended "that the ai'rangement shall include a definite understandin<>; 

 to the effect that he shall at once enter ui)on graduate work in the 

 institution in which he is employed, wherever this is at all practi- 

 cable, and that in any event there shall be definite plans for his 

 temi:)orary relief in the very near future for the purpose of encourag- 

 ing graduate study in the best universities of the world." It argued 

 that every jjossible advantage and encouragement should be held out 

 to men who enter this work to adequately prepare themselves for it. 

 In view of the necessity to which some stations have been driven 

 these suggestions are worthy of consideration. They place upon the 

 stations themselves the responsibility for seeing to it that the men 

 they select for their work shall ultimately receive training which 

 shall suit them to their vocation, give them the proper point of view, 

 and inculcate the true scientific spirit. Without doubt a great deal 

 of good can be accomplished in that way, and it will lielp to deter- 

 mine whether or not a man is Avorthy of encouragement in the work. 



There were two other 2)apers presented at the Lansing meetings 

 which bore upon this general subject, and which evidence not only 

 the attention which it is attracting among thoughtful men, but indi- 

 cate how live a question the personnel of the stations has become. 

 One of these addresses was by Dr. II. P. Armsby, as president of the 

 Society for Promotion of Agricultural Science, and was devoted to 

 Research as a Career. This dealt more than incidentally with the 

 human element in experiment station activity. 



Doctor Armsby naturally recognized the man as the central factor 

 in research, and he pointed out that in urging means for the support 

 of investigation " we are inclined to assume not only the present 

 existence of an adequate body of investigators, but that their number, 

 like that of operatives in a factor3^ may be indefinitely increased 

 as occasion arises. . . . The investigator in agriculture, if he be a 

 \va] investigator, is a student of science. He is not a mere observer 

 of nature or of practice." Addressing himself to the subject of pro- 

 viding an adequate supply of workers, he considered what should be 

 the training for research in agriculture and the most eifective means 

 of ac(|uiring it. 



In the first i)lace. " the investigator should have a broad and severe 

 training in science, including actual work in research under the direc- 

 tion and inspiration of an exj^erienced investigator. He should not 

 merely acquire a knowledge of the facts of science, but should satu- 

 rate himself with the scientific method of thought and woi'k." And 

 in the second place, " the agricultural investigator must have an 

 acquaintance with the jiractical problems and conditions of agricul- 



