EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. 1. NOVEMBER, 1889. No. 2. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



The .Vssociation of American Ai:ri cultural C'()lle<2:es and Experi- 

 ment Stations held its third annual convention November 1-2-15 at 

 Wa.shington. in the lecture room of the National Museum. 



Seventy-two delegates from fifty-two institutions in thirty-three 

 States were present at the opening session, and this number was after- 

 wards mcreased to about one hundred. The Territory of New Mex- 

 ico was represented by President Hadley. of Las Cruces. The com- 

 munity of interests between the United States and our northern 

 neighbors was indicated bv the presence of Professor Saunders, of 

 Toronto. Canada. President Atherton, of the Pennsylvania State 

 College, presided with the great skill which he has displayed in two 

 previous conventions. Since a full report of the proceedings Avill be 

 published as a separate bulletin of this Office, only a few of the more 

 prominent features of the meeting will Ije referred to here. 



The annual address of the president dwelt strongly upon the im- 

 portance of preserving and strengthening the union of the colleges 

 and stations provided for by the act of Congress under which the 

 stations are organized. In his judgment the colleges gain in intel- 

 lectual power and in public favor b}" having original researches in 

 agriculture made under their auspices, the results of which are Avidely 

 published among the farmers. The stations, on the other hand, are 

 enabled to do more thorough work l)v availing themselves of the 

 resources of the colleges, and by having the stimulating influences of 

 those educational and scientific impulses which emanate from insti- 

 tutions of learning. 



Among the discussions which elicited especial interest was that 

 relating to the cooperation of the stations and the Department of 

 Agriculture in the testing of varieties of flax, hemp, jute, and ramee, 

 and of fiber machinery. At present the Ignited States annually im- 

 port about $4(),0()0.()()() woi-th of these textile fibers and their products, 

 one-half of which at least, it is believed, might be profitably raised 

 and manufactured at home. The Dejjartment proposes to procure 

 seeds of these fibrous plants and distribute them to the stations will- 



