EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XIII. No. 7. 



A review of the world's S3^stenl of institutions for agricultural 

 experimentation and research has been in process of preparation for 

 some time, to meet the demand for more complete and systematic 

 accounts of the various agencies that are in operation in foreign coun- 

 tries. Such a review is at present not furnished by an}^ known publi- 

 cation or series of publications, and much difficultv was experienced 

 in preparing even a complete list of the foreign stations. As a pre- 

 liminary step in that direction a list of all known stations has been 

 published in the organization lists for the past three years. This has 

 served as a working basis upon which correspondence could be under- 

 taken and additions and corrections made. 



As the work has progressed the dearth of literature describing the 

 foreign stations has ))ecome more and more apparent, and has empha- 

 sized the need of a publication of this kind. In man}^ countries there 

 is no authorized agency for collating and publishing accounts of the 

 organization and work of the stations, and in very many cases the 

 individual stations have no regular method of publication. In spite 

 of the wide search of literature and extensive correspondence, it has 

 been impossible to secure the necessary data to make the review com- 

 plete, but so much more has been collated than has ever been published 

 before that it has been thought best to issue it at an early date as a 

 bulletin of this Office. 



The total numl)er of experiment stations and similar institutions in 

 the world, as far as our information goes, is about 780. This number 

 includes, however, man}^ institutions which in this countrv would not 

 be reckoned as stations, such as experimental farms and fields, labora- 

 tories for miscellaneous analysis, and cooperative enterprises. The 

 most that can })e said is that the list in('lud(\s tlu^ various agencies of 

 different kinds and grades for expei'iment and investigation in agri- 

 culture, and for the protection and information of farmers. Purel}" 

 as a matter of convenience, these agencies ma}' he referred to collec- 



tivel}' as "stations." 



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