104 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



strict relation to the real reqiiiremeuts of the agriculture of that region 

 which would have been impossible a few years ago. The present 

 activity in plant breeding, as distinguished from the indiscriminate 

 testing of varieties, is a good example of the raising of the level of 

 experiment-station work as applied to directly practical ends. The 

 plant breeder now sets detinitoly before him the kind of variet}' needed 

 by the farmer in a given region or for a given purpose and applies all 

 his scientific knowledge and practical skill to the production of such a 

 variety. The notable success of some of the efforts in this direction 

 alread}^ made are but a foretaste of much wider practical results as 

 knowledge and experience in this line of endeavor increase. To do 

 such work effectively there must be an almost ideal combination of 

 science and practice. And the more we can learn definitely regarding 

 the underlying principles the more surelj^ will we be able to make 

 successful practical applications. In such investigations science 

 becomes more practical and art more scientific. 



