EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol.35. Novembek, 1916. No. 7. 



Nothing in recent years has so emphasized and impressed the real 

 importance of agriculture and agricultural institutions as the war in 

 Europe. It has demonstrated dependence upon this art and has 

 raised it to a preeminent position in the welfare of the country. 

 Ordinarily accepted without much thought or realization by the 

 great body of people, it has suddenly sprung into an importance 

 second only to that of the military activities. It has become, indeed, 

 a recognized field of war service and one of the chief elements in the 

 national defense. Its response, and the resourcefulness and practical 

 value which its institutions have shown, have brought the present 

 position of agriculture close home to the people as never before on 

 so broad a scale. 



The problem of maintaining, and in some cases increasing, the 

 production of food for man and beast has been one of the large and 

 difficult ones in the countries at war. It has taxed their skill and 

 organization, and their ability to cooperate in the common good. 

 With thousands of acres devastated, relations with other countries 

 interrupted, and with a vast army of the farmers and laborers on 

 whom production ordinarily rests suddenly become dependent on the 

 labor of others, the necessity of cultivating all available land and 

 making the soil yield its full return became a national concern in all 

 the countries. It inspired unusual measures for stimulating and 

 assisting those who were left on the land, and led to appeals for 

 agricultural workers second only to those for men to fight. 



The way in which this extraordinary demand has been met has 

 furnished a new realization of the great advances in every branch 

 of farming. It has entitled agriculture to a regard and conside^-a- 

 tion which it has not always enjoyed before. If it has not actually 

 raised it to a new position in the lives of nations, intelligent under- 

 standing of its position has been greatly broadened. 



And along with the rest, this supreme test has furnished an im- 

 pressive illustration of the great share which agricultural investi- 

 gation, education, and various forms of instruction have had in 

 placing agriculture on a higher plane of efficiency and in making it 

 more resourceful and adequate. The response of agriculture is in 



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