EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol.36. Mat, 1917. No. 7. 



At this time, when the air is surcharged with plans for preparation 

 for war, agriculture occupies an unwonted prominence. The im- 

 portance of making adequate provision to encourage and assure a 

 high scale of production of the necessities of life ranks in the mind 

 of the public alongside of preparation for the actual military 

 operations. Its realization is more keen and intelligent than ever 

 before, growing out of both the experience of Europe and the special 

 part this cotmtry is expected to play at the present time. 



Very naturally every agency, and especially every institution, has 

 given consideration to the manner in which it can best contribute 

 to the common end at this time. The agricultural institutions have 

 been quick to realize their place and responsibilities and to see the 

 strategic opportunities of the industry they represent. In many of 

 the States they have furnished the initiative and taken the leadership 

 in measures for insuring adequate supplies through agriculture. 

 They have shown how many-sided the problems in this field often 

 are. These problems touch the whole life and organization of the 

 people — economic, social, and even personal. They develop in a 

 remarkably striking way the interrelations of farming and other 

 lines of business — of providing the supplies for the farmer, as well 

 as those resulting from his labor, when and where they are needed, 

 and hence of uniting and correlating the whole fabric of production, 

 trade, and distribution. 



The manner in which the agricultural institutions of the country, 

 especially the agricultural colleges, have thrown themselves into this 

 effort, with promptness, resourcefulness, and broad intelligent under- 

 standing, shows the element of strength which they supply and the 

 powerful national resource they are. It makes possible, under effi- 

 cient organization and cooperation, a mobilization of agricultural 

 resources the like of which has not been seen in this country; and 

 it brings out in strong light the advantage of the policy the Gov- 

 ernment has pursued in promoting agricultural education and re- 

 search on a national scale and an intimate type of instruction reach- 

 ing out to the individual farmer on his land. 



The spirit of service so dominant throughout the country has 

 found a quick response in the agricultural experiment stations. 



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