EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XIX. March, 1908. . No. 7. 



The larjo^e and increasing number of changes in the personnel of the 

 experiment stations has been a frequent matter of comment. These 

 changes are recognized as a serious detriment to the work in a variety 

 of ways, and have been generally deprecated. But they continue to 

 go on and have l)ecome in a sense a feature of our American system. 

 They are evidently more prevalent here than in other countries, due 

 in part, doubtless, to the rapid development and extension of investi- 

 gation, and to the openings in commercial lines for agricultural ex- 

 perts. They are in harmony with a national cliaracteristic often 

 ascribed to the American people, and may perhaps be accounted for 

 in part by that trait. 



At all events, the shifting of men from place to place is a product 

 of our conditions and indicates a situation which is becoming more 

 serious each 3'ear. While it is recognized that there have been ex- 

 tenuating circumstances during the past year and a half, it is a 

 serious question whether these unstable conditions are not attribu- 

 table to some extent to the general policy and spirit which have per- 

 vaded our stations. This seems a fair question in view of the failure 

 to secure greater permanency with the passing of years, despite the 

 elimination of factors which were formerly adverse to it. 



The past year, with the search and competition for men incident 

 to the inauguration of Adams fund work, was naturally — or at least 

 under our conditions expectedly — a season of unusual change. The 

 extent to which it has taken place is shown by an analysis of the 

 organization lists of the stations, just issued, and comparison with 

 the lists of a year ago. Of the men put down in the organization 

 lists for 1907, no less than 168 are found to have changed their po- 

 sitions during the year. A few have gone out of the Avork entirely, 

 but most of the number have moved on to other institutions. The 

 enumeration takes account only of the scientific staff proper, omitting 

 clerks or officers of the boards of control, and does not apply to the 

 quite large number of new officers who have been added, to man new 

 departments or extend those already existing. In other words, 168 

 men who were in the station work at the beginning of 1907 changed 

 their positions or went out of tlie work during the year. This change 



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