1919] EDITORIAL. 107 



The two existing colleges attract few farm boys, but might, it is 

 urged, if the type of instruction were provided which is adapted to 

 their needs. A strong plea is made for liberalizing their courses, for 

 increasing and strengthening the staffs, and for enlarging the facili- 

 ties for instruction. Citing the success of short courses in the United 

 States and Canada, the encouragement of these in every possible way 

 is advocated. 



The plan does not end with the university and the agricultural 

 colleges, but includes instruction of lower grades. A State supervisor 

 of agricultural instruction is recommended for the high and ele- 

 mentary school work, and central district schools for preparing 

 teachers for the elementary grades. 



The report has much to say on the subject of experiment stations 

 and agricultural investigation, which are regarded as absolutely fun- 

 damental to other educational development. The author holds that 

 " the building up of a body of systematic knowledge by careful inves- 

 tigation and experiment is essential for the sound development of 

 agriculture in any country," and that a comprehensive system for this 

 must run parallel with the work of instruction and extension. 



" The field for agricultural investigation in a new country such 

 as ours is vast, and at the present time we are largely dependent for 

 what may be termed the scientific basis for agriculture on principles 

 established under climatic and economic conditions unlike our own. 



" There is a wide field of work in the confirmation of what are 

 supposed to be the basic principles of our great national industry. It 

 was the systematic tests conducted by the American experiment 

 stations on the growing of crops, management of soils, feeding of 

 animals, which played such a large part in developing American agri- 

 culture. These stations demonstrated the practicability of very largely 

 increasing the existing crop yields by measures within the reach of 

 men of average intelligence, and at a cost which could be recovered 

 with large dividends in increased crop production. The American 

 stations played a large part in the development of American agricul- 

 ture, and in creating sentiment towards agricultural education." 



Unlike this country, the experiment stations in Australia are 

 under the State departments of agriculture along with the inspec- 

 tion and other administrative functions. While this is not com- 

 mented upon, attention is drawn to the association of research with 

 teaching and extension in the agricultural colleges of this country. 

 Experimental work in Victoria is centered in the research farm at 

 Werribee, established some 6 years ago, which, in addition to being 

 young, has felt the shortage of skilled assistance. Hence a vast 

 amount of experimental and research work remains to be done, 



