540 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



as fast as the best interests of the work will permit. On the other 

 hand, through the liberality of State legislatures and local conmiunities, 

 some stations have been enabled to wisely extend their operations on 

 the basis of adequate financial support, and in general it may be said 

 that the stations are striving to find out what are the most important 

 agricultural needs of their respective regions which can be aided by 

 scientific research, and are directing their efforts toward supplying 

 these needs in a broad way and for the good of the greatest number. 



It is also gratifying to note that the necessity for i^ermanency in the 

 personnel and operations of the stations is being more generally recog- 

 nized. In some places, it is true, during the past year radical reorgan- 

 izations of the station staffs have occurred. Here and there changes 

 have apparently been due to political influence or to an unreasonable 

 spirit of restlessness more difficult to account for. These, however, are 

 manifestly the weak spots in our station system. The stations Avhich 

 are doing good work and accomplishing the best results are holding 

 steadily to the lines of work which they have marked out, and are 

 changing their forces only as necessity or good and sufficient reasons 

 compel. As the stations where vacillating policies prevail fall more 

 distinctly behind their fellows, it is to be expected that local pride and 

 the demands of an awakening public spirit will compel a readjustment 

 of their affairs on a proper basis. 



On the whole, the station enterprise in this country has enjoyed a year 

 of i)rosperity. Its work has been regularly pursued, new fields of use- 

 fulness have been occupied, much helpful knowledge has been acquired, 

 and a great mass of useful information has been broadly disseminated. 

 On all sides we hear of increased demands from the farmers for the 

 information which the stations have to give. Station officers are con- 

 stantly being urged and tempted to interruj)t the search after new truth 

 in order that they may set forth more clearly and systematically in the 

 language of the people the results of previous investigations in the 

 realm of agricultural science in this country and abroad. It is more 

 necessary now than ever before to urge that the stations be left to carry 

 on their legitimate work of research. As the investigations of the sta- 

 tions develop in thoroughness and complexity, there is increasing 

 danger of failure and disappointment if they are interfered with or 

 diverted. We are glad to be able to say that thus far the station 

 workers have been able to extend their inquiries year by year, while at 

 the same time they have in large degree met the demand for immedi- 

 ately practical information. That the benefits of station work are 

 realized by increasing numbers of our farmers is well shown in the 

 general disposition of the States and local communities to supplement 

 the funds given by the National Government. Wherever stations are 

 doing thorough work there is a rising tide of popular support for their 

 enterprises, and we may confidently expect a greater development of 

 this movement iu the not distant future. 



