1811*1 EDITORIAL. 70S 



which it is nnt practicable to Bolve at present, either because there is 

 not sufficient background to enable the problem to be understood <>r 

 the methods and technique are deficient. Investigation can not sue* 

 cessfully progress much faster than the methods and means of studj 

 advance, and often not more rapidly than investigat ion in the domain 

 of genera] science clears the field and enables hypothesis and theory 

 to be advanced. 



Our station investigation affords instances of attempts to push 

 inquiry beyond the point where general science has prepared the 

 way. While the original investigator will develop new facts and 

 new lines of reasoning or of attack, he will necessarily rely quite 

 largely upon adapting existing knowledge and means to his end-. 

 '1 be pioneer must blaze his own way and build his own path, but if 

 he attempts to get too far in advance the complications of agricul- 

 tural problems are such that he meets obstacles involving not only 

 his particular branch -of science but others. Hence, -short cuts are 

 rarely feasible. In the effort to bridge too wide a gap between what 

 is known and what is unknown, facts and methods are assumed that 

 have not been proved and lead to delay and confusion. 



A result of selecting projects which have proved complex or im-. 

 practicable is reflected in the length of time certain of these have 

 been carried without material modification. The program of the 

 Adam- fund sheds some light on this and on tendencies in proji 

 making. This i'und, of course, does not embrace the full research 

 program of the stations, but it fairly represents the more advanced 

 effort. 



The total number of active projects under the Adams fund at 

 present is five hundred and thirty-six. This shows a remarkable 

 activity in setting up projects accredited to a fund subject to pro- 

 visions and formalities not applied to other -tat ion funds. It reflects 

 a desire which has been apparent in many station workers to be 

 associated with that fund, doubtless because of the standard it has 

 come to represent. It is regarded as a sort of hall-mark of quality; 

 and to come under its stamp many projects are included which 

 receive only a small part of their support from that source. This 

 will be obvious from the fact that the total number gives an average 

 of over eleven projects to a station, the range being from four to 

 nineteen: ten stations have fifteen or more projects assigned to the 

 Adams fund. 



The source of support is, of course, immaterial to the investigation, 

 provided it is adequate, but with limited resources to supplement this 

 research fund there is danger that it may be overloaded, to the 

 evident detriment of the work. There have been such instances. 



