1918] EDITORIAL. 7 



can guide and sustain this army of busy workers, answer the ques- 

 tions which come to them in their every-day experience, and make 

 their teachings doubly sure. Just as in normal times the stations are 

 to replace tradition and opinion by reason, and uncertainty by hard 

 facts, so now they will need to furnish much of the knowledge and 

 procedure to guide the farmer and his advisers. 



The station's experts should also be in position to help in planning 

 the extension campaigns and the programs for larger production. 

 This is an unusual form of activity it is true, but the times are un- 

 usual. Teachings and plans should be safe and sane, and all the 

 counsel possible is needed. The suggestions and advice to be offered 

 to the farmers ought to be tested in the crucible of the station's 

 expert understanding, and should be considered broadly as to their 

 effect and in relation to present economic and other conditions. The 

 station experts ought to be at the council table when the agricultural 

 needs are being considered and the plans and programs are being 

 worked out. This has not always been the case in the past. 



It is not necessary that the station workers should step out of their 

 character as experts in agricultural science and its interpretation to 

 accomplish these things. They will usually be more useful in that 

 capacity than if they attempted to take the place of extension 

 workers. They need, however, to adapt their attitude and their 

 vision toward the work at hand so that they will observe and con- 

 sider conditions outside the technical aspects of their investigations, 

 and be alert to realize the full measure of their opportunity. 



It is one of the essential attributes of the station investigator that 

 he should understand the field so as to know what is most needful. 

 He must discover the problems, or if not must be guided by those 

 who do, and he needs now especially to familiarize himself definitely 

 with the actual conditions of farming and to take a practical view 

 of his work and its use. Economic conditions are changed ; so is the 

 labor situation and the fertilizer supply, and the problem of trans- 

 portation. Hence theory in relation to practice needs to be revised, 

 frequently on the basis of new experiments. 



There is still some disposition to look upon the stations as makers 

 of theories and fundamental conceptions not closely related to the 

 immediate needs of the situation. The attitude of the stations should 

 be a decisive answer to this. It is not a time for the pursuit of 

 theory for the sake of theory, but for the application of theory and 

 the result of experiment to practical conditions. 



