B EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.40 



limitations. Appointments of this kind, if common, affect the desira- 

 bility and general standing of positions in an institution. They de- 

 termine the associations of station work, and to a considerable extent 

 they affect its atmosphere. 



The tendency to combine the directorship of the station with the 

 office of dean of the college of agriculture likewise lias had its effect 

 in this connection. Such a combination rlocs not necessarily insure 

 the selection of a director who is qualified by training or tempera- 

 ment to exercise leadership in research or to develop the ideals of 

 research in the station activity. The kind of administration a sta- 

 tion needs is that which gives aim and direction to its work a- a 

 whole, supplies counsel and support to individual workers, encour- 

 ages deliberation and thoroughness, exercises restraint where ne 

 sary, and justifies the station work and needs t<» those higher in 

 authority and to the public. Appreciation, encouragement, and the 

 feeling that their efforts are understood mean very much to most 

 station workers. With many deans there is little time for this, or at 

 least for its expression. The interests of the office are too diverse 

 and insistent, and very frequently leave little time for station mat- 

 ters beyond those of routine nature. 



Despite the obstacles arising from State laws, budget systems, and 

 outside regulation, these internal conditions may prove in the long 

 run to be quite as serious a danger to the maintenance of the high 

 position and ideals of the stations. Tn the development of the sys- 

 tem of agricultural education and research the research department 

 frequently is not receiving proportionate attention. Within the in- 

 stitution as well as outside, other branches like the extension work 

 are being given major attention: and there is a danger that the pub- 

 lic, in its satisfaction with these branches and carried away with the 

 idea that the great aim and effort should be the dissemination of 

 what is already known, may overlook the source of this knowledge 

 and may neglect tin- agency which makes these efforts possible and 

 L v n cs them effectiveness. Evidently some sleps will need to be taken 

 to avoid this. The means for it lie first of all in the institution-. 

 There should be no indication of failure to recognize the fundamental 

 position of the station, or to impress upon those going out from it 

 and its representatives in the field a proper realization of the fact 

 that but for the work which has been done in agricultural investiga- 

 tion and experiment in the past, their own opportunity would be 

 relatively small and their chance for growth would SOOn come to an 

 end. 



In how large a measure the teachings of experiment are responsi- 

 ble for the success of the recent food production campaigns may be 

 illustrated by the efforts to meet the world's deficiency in bread. The 



