408 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. [Vol. 38, 19181 



advantages came somewhat slowly, they long ago fully justified the 

 restriction carried in the original measure. 



Both of these papers, and others which have gone before, pay high 

 tribute to the American stations. Not only is the example cited of 

 their liberal support, but many approved features of their organiza- 

 tion and profitable results of their activity are pointed out. M. Gain 

 pronounces the funds assigned to them among the most productive 

 of Government expenditures. M. Wery commends them in terms 

 which are highly complimentary, both for the efficiency of their or- 

 ganization and their comprehensive scope, including, as he says, 

 nearly five hundred distinct laboratories, each working in a particular 

 line but all converging to the same end, the progress of agriculture 

 in its various branches. Pie contrasts their large revenues with those 

 of the stations and laboratories in his country, citing this as an ex- 

 ample of wise and profitable use of governmental funds. 



Gratifying as this is, the large financial support which is always 

 cited to the advantage of the American stations carries with it large 

 expectations as to the returns to be made for these ample means 

 and opportunities. These world expectations can not be met unless 

 the personnel is maintained upon a high plane of efficiency and the 

 funds are carefully conserved for investigation and experiment. 

 Even then the broad extent of country to be covered, the great diver- 

 sity of questions, some of them quite elementary as a result of the set- 

 tlement of new country, and the necessarily expensive character of in- 

 vestigation in certain lines, are likely to be unappreciated. 



While therefore European countries are planning for reconstruc- 

 tion to include the development of their agricultural research insti- 

 tutions, the American experiment stations may well consider how 

 their work and organization may be made more productive and effec- 

 tive in meeting after-war conditions, in full accord with the abun- 

 dance of their opportunity. 



