EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. 37. November, 1917. No. 7. 



The thirty-first annual convention of the Association of American 

 Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, held in Washington, 

 D. C, November 14-16, seems likely to be long remembered as one 

 of the most interesting and inspiring in the history of the organiza- 

 tion. As was pointed out by Secretary Houston in his address of 

 greeting, according to the calendar barely a year had gone by since 

 the previous meeting, but " judged by the experiences through which 

 we have passed, it has seemed more like a generation." The pro- 

 found changes during this period which the entrance of the Nation 

 into the war has brought to every institution represented were re- 

 flected in the program, the point of view, and the predominating 

 spirit of the convention. 



Official delegates were in attendance from every State in the Union, 

 as well as Porto Rico, and a delegation was also present from Canada 

 which was given the privileges of the floor. From many institutions 

 there were representatives for each of the five divisions of college, 

 station, extension, engineering, and home economics work. The total 

 registration of delegates and visitors aggregated three hundred and 

 seventy, surpassing all previous records. 



The large attendance was the more noteworthy since the number 

 of other organizations meeting with the association was somewhat 

 smaller than in 1916. Prior to the opening of the convention itself, a 

 four-day conference was held of State leaders of home demonstration 

 agents and the States Relations Service. The Society for the Pro- 

 motion of Agricultural Science, the American Society of Agronomy, 

 the National Potato Association, the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Agricultural Teaching, the American Association 

 of Farmers' Institute Workers, and the Association of Official Agri- 

 cultural Chemists also held sessions before or after the convention. 

 The attendance at many of these meetings was likewise unusually 

 large, and while many of their papers followed the usual scientific 

 and technical lines a distinctly war-time flavor permeated their 

 programs and proceedings. 



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