2 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. [Vol.37 



work lies, and does not bring them so prominently into evidence as 

 the teacher who is before the public, they should not be overlooked 

 or their vital importance forgotten. It is in very large measure 

 their work which has made it possible to meet promptly the present 

 emergency, by building upon the teacliings of investigation and 

 experiment throughout the whole gamut of agricultural production, 

 protection, utilization, and preservation. We can hardly comprehend 

 how different the task would have been twenty-five years ago. There 

 is hardly a phase, even a local one, which their work has not touched 

 and is not now being realized upon. 



But this does not mean that we have touched bottom in all there 

 is to know or all there is need to know to meet a sudden crisis. The 

 foresight and insight, the resources and ingenuity, of the experiment 

 stations and all ngencies for research should be drawn upon as they 

 never have been b^ore. It will rest largely with them to anticipate 

 the needs for dependable information and to forestall these needs by 

 setting the necessary studies in operntion. This means working close 

 to the ground, with a keen eye to the emergency and the measures 

 for meeting it. Never was it more important for the experiment 

 station forces to be alert to the whole agricultural situation, to see 

 with the eyes of experts, and weigh suggestion on the broad basis of 

 relationships as well as of necessity. 



It is gratifying to learn definitely, through word received from a 

 considerable number of the stations, that they are fully alive to the 

 situation and have already set then- plans in motion. In a number 

 of cases the directors are occupying prominent positions on the State 

 councils of defense, and in others the stations are cooperating actively 

 with these councils in agricultural matters and food supply. At 

 several of the agricultural colleges and experiment stations war 

 emergency committees have been formed to review the projects in 

 hand and outline suggestions regarding special emergency investiga- 

 tions. To a notable extent such studies of more immediate importance 

 have been started, replacing in some degree those which can be post- 

 poned until a later time. Thus a majority of the stations already are 

 operating more or less under a war-time program. 



In addition to these new undertakings, it is interesting to note 

 the large amount of work in progress before the declaration of war 

 which fits well into the new program. This is shown by a review 

 of the stations' projects and an examination of their work in the 

 field. It emphasizes anew the practical character of their studies 

 and demonstrates their place in the present emergency. 



For example, one of the measures advocated to increase food pro- 

 duction is the more extensive cultivation of legumes, like soy bean, 

 velvet bean, and the peanut, to be used either as pasturage, for 

 ensiling with corn, or for grinding as stock feed. This gives quite 



