604 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



to advise the experiment stations to withdraw from that branch of 

 work. It is not right to lead the farmer to believe that science 

 may aid him in any given direction when scientific men are them- 

 selves convinced that such a thing is impracticable. We need to have 

 clearer distinctions drawn between science and pseudoscience as related 

 to agriculture. But within the field in which it is agreed that science 

 may reasonably work to aid the farmer — and this is a large and rapidly 

 expanding area — let there be strict devotion to the truths and princi- 

 ples which science teaches and let us be done with the nonsense about 

 imitating the practical man — who during countless past generations 

 has not succeeded in advancing knowledge even with the rapidity of 

 the traditional snail's pace. By adherence to his faith in the mission 

 of science to agriculture the experiment station worker will most surely 

 win the respect of the farmer and advance the highest interests of 

 agricultural practice. 



We believe that the time has come for the friends of the experiment 

 stations in this country to declare themselves boldly in regard to the 

 proper limitations of their work. The stations have a great fund 

 intended for original research in behalf of agriculture. There is more 

 need than ever before of scientific effort for the benefit of our agricul- 

 ture and more promise than ever before of successful results from 

 scientific investigations. The popularity of the stations has led to the 

 practical diversion of much of their funds in the direction of pseudo- 

 scientific effort and the dissemination of general information. It is 

 time to call a halt. Make the stations what they were intended to be, 

 institutions for original research. Man them with the best experts and 

 hold these men to their legitimate work. Keep the fountains of new 

 truth pure and bubbling, enlarge their capacity, guard them agaiust 

 defilement. In this way alone will the future of our agriculture be 

 made secure. 



