EDITORIAL. 7 



around certain topics. " Valuable work might be done by the forma- 

 tion in these societies of committees of investigation, composed of 

 small groups of members or fellows charged with the special duty of 

 following out some particular line of experimental or theoretical 

 work, and publishing the result as the joint work of the conunittee and 

 not of individual members of it. Such committees have often been 

 formed and done much valuable work." The writer admits that 

 "no doubt such cooperative work requires an amount of self -sup- 

 pression which is not widely distributed," but he adds that organiza- 

 tion is necessary in most important undertakings, and that all team 

 work has the advancement of the common end in mind rather than 

 the individual. 



To be effective and lasting, collaboration or coordination of work 

 must, of course, be voluntary with the institutions. Each collabora- 

 tor needs to be a real integi-al part of the joint undertaldng, and to 

 have a degree of responsibility and of latitude which will stimulate 

 him to make his part a constructive effort. By relating the workers 

 having an interest in a common problem, it should be possible to 

 stimulate the spirit of inquiry and to make investigation more 

 effective. There is a certain zeal which arises from such co-partner- 

 ship or association, and a responsibility which the relation suggests. 



The step taken by the Southern Agricultural Workers is a more 

 definite one in this direction than any previous movement. The 

 association was clear in its conviction that such an end was highly 

 desirable, and expressed confidence in its feasibility. It adopted a 

 resolution directing that " committees be appointed to correlate and 

 coordinate the work of the experiment stations with the purpose of 

 preventing unnecessary duplication and expenditure," suggesting 

 that to the former committee on .live stock experiments one be added 

 for agronomy. These committees were appointed, and upon them 

 will devolve the responsibility of carrying forward the idea. 



It is realized that it is not feasible or advisable to attempt to 

 standardize investigation, and that we can ill afford to make our 

 experimental work stereotyped. Neither would it be wise to sub- 

 ordinate a majority of the investigators in a manner to suppress 

 their initiative or make them routine factors under a large directing 

 organization. This is not the purpose, and is not believed to be 

 inherent in the plan. 



There is every encouragement at this time to develop plans which 

 will give permanent additions to the common store of knowledge, and 

 as large a degree of finality in the results as it is feasible to attain. 

 The necessity for haste in agricultural investigation is not as great 

 as would sometimes appear from the cross-cut methods which have 

 been followed. The stations may fairly be recognized as permanent 

 15419°— No. 1—16 2 



