604 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The condition in this regard is now reversed, and men have become 

 less permanent than their positions. It has sometimes been claimed 

 that the ethical rights of the institution are now less carefully 

 guarded than those of the men occupying positions in them. There 

 hax'e been resignations at critical stages in the station worlv or at 

 inconvenient times of the year, at such short notice as to embarrass 

 the station and interrupt its work. There is a nice ethical question 

 involved here, as there is also in the practice of stations in drawing 

 men from one institution to another without considering the inter- 

 ests of the institution alTected. 



Another drain upon tlie ranks of station men in the past has grown 

 out of the rapid development of the National Department of Agri- 

 culture, and the building up of a large force of workers at Wash- 

 ington. AVith respect to the past year it is found that only seven 

 heads of departments in the stations joined the forces of this De- 

 partment, whereas three Department men went to fill important 

 vacancies in the stations. Evidently, therefore, but little of the 

 change of the past j^ear can b^ attributed to that source. 



The inequality of conditions at dili'erent institutions, and the 

 differences in respect to those (jualities which contribute to the de- 

 sirability of positions, is without doubt the greatest cause of change. 

 There are differences in standards and in general policy, jind in tlie 

 attitude toward the station work and the men, which count for much. 

 These things, with the general atmosphere and spirit of the insti- 

 tution, largel}^ 'determine the desirability of positions and the kind 

 of service which can be expected of the men. 



It is natural that scientific workers should seek congenial and in- 

 spiring surroundings, and positions which carry witli them oppor- 

 tunity. The ambitious man will usually be open to a change of 

 location until such conditions are found. The weight of the latter 

 consideration — opportunity — is often underestimated by boards 

 made up of practical men. AVith respect to it the greatest diversity 

 is still found, despite the general improvement which has taken 

 place. 



Men at certain institutions teach from eighteen to twenty-five 

 hours a week, attend to correspondence on i^ractical questions, write 

 extension bulletins, and do what station work they can in the scat- 

 tered time that is left. They find little realization of the fact that 

 investigation is an engrossing and time-consuming pursuit, not to 

 be carried on in the leavings of time Avhen the day's task of instruc- 

 tion is finished. At another class of institutions the time of the 

 workers is conserved; their teaching duties are arranged so as to 

 present the least possible interruption to their work, and they are 

 encouraged to make the most of themselves. Their duties are made 

 congenial as far as circumstances permit, and they are made to feel 



