CONVENTION OF ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL 

 COLLEGES AND EXPERIMENT STATIONS, 1914. 



The twenty-eighth annual convention of the Association of American Agri- 

 cultural Colleges and Experiment Stations was held at Washington, D. C, 

 November 11-13, 1914. It was accompanied as usual by meetings of about 

 half a score of related organizations, as follows : American Association of 

 Farmers' Institute Workers. November 9-11 ; American Farm Management 

 Association, November 9. 10; American Society of Agronomy, November 9, 10; 

 National Association of State Universities, November 9, 10; American Associa- 

 tion for the Advancement of Agricultural Teaching, November 10; Society for 

 the Promotion of Agricultural Science, November 10; American Society of 

 Animal Production, November 10, 11; Land-grant Engineering Association, 

 November 11-13; Association of Official Seed Analysts, November 12, 13; 

 Association of Feed Control Officials of the United States, November 13, 14; 

 Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, November 16-18; and American 

 Society of Milling and Baking Technology, November 18. Collectively these 

 meetings brought together college presidents, experiment station and extension 

 directors, and workers in many fields of agricultural science to the number of 

 approximately five hundred. 



At the opening session an addi-ess of greeting was made by the Secretary 

 of Agriculture, in which he stated that all the States had accepted the Smith- 

 Lever Act and that nearly all were already cooperating with the Department 

 imder its provisions. He commended the increasing realization of the unity 

 of interests of the Department and the agricultural colleges, and believed 

 that this would broaden appreciably their opportunities for service, as well as 

 their responsibilities. The difficulty of securing trained men to take up such 

 new undertakings as the extension work, the marketing studies of the Depart- 

 ment, and the administration of the new Cotton Futures Act, was pointed out, 

 and the colleges were vigorously urged to develop strong courses in rural 

 economics and related subjects, and to assume a general position of leadership 

 in country-life affairs. 



The report of the executive committee dealt largely with the two principal 

 events of the year, the passage of the Smith-Lever Act and the holding of the 

 sixth session of the Graduate School of Agriculture. At a subsequent session, 

 set aside for the discussion of problems in connection with the administration 

 of the Smith-Lever Act, President Thompson reviewed the passage of the 

 measure and Dr. A. C. True, of the States" Relations Committee of this De- 

 partment, described its practical workings thus far. A chart showing in 

 graphic form the bfisis of organization was on exhibition and is to be published 

 for general distribution. 



Doctor True drew attention to the recent ruling of the Solicitor of the De- 

 partment, that funds contributed by the States, counties, or other agencies 

 for extension purposes are, when an offset to the federal funds, subject to 

 the same requirements as those derived under the Smith-Lever Act. Such 

 funds, if not an offset, are under the control of the colleges except where a 

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