608 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.41 



agriculture has faced such critical conditions as at present; and he 

 made the point that other lines like instruction and extension will 

 recover much more quickly than research. Referring to the fact that 

 experiment station work has not received proper emphasis and sup- 

 port in many States, and that it has been vmder serious handicap in 

 other States, he said : " I think we will need to place greater emphasis 

 upon the experiment station and give it a more prominent place, a 

 place of higher recognition, and make it more independent of the 

 instruction work." He advocated a force selected by reason of dis- 

 tinctive qualifications and training, and the devotion of time exclu- 

 sively to investigation. He also held that the position of research 

 men who have demonstrated their ability should correspond in rank 

 with that of heads of departments, although not independent of the 

 latter. 



Dean Watts characterized agricultural research as "the weakest 

 link in our agricultural program " from the standpoint of support for 

 maintenance. He showed that for every dollar of Federal money 

 devoted to agricultural experiments considerably over three dollars 

 are available for extension, despite the fact that research is expen- 

 sive. He indicated that unless adequate provision is made to meet the 

 present shortage of funds for experimental purposes the satisfactory 

 advancement of the entire agricultural program will be retarded. He 

 urged that each State should provide a sum equal to the Federal 

 allotment, and that efforts be made to secure increased Federal appro- 

 priations. 



On the basis of a questionnaire circulated among the station direc- 

 tors, Dean Burnett confirmed the view that the funds available are 

 much below the requirements of the various States, except in a few 

 cases having liberal local support. He showed that in. many cases 

 no new projects are now being established except as old ones are 

 completed, and that even then the money thus released is often needed 

 to meet the growing expenses of the station. Pointing to the fact 

 that the attention of young men in agricultural colleges is being 

 directed away from research toward other lines, he prophesied that 

 the stations would have to be put on a broader and better basis before 

 the situation could be remedied. 



The section adopted a resolution earnestly recommending that the 

 Association " take cognizance of the paralysis threatening the work 

 of the stations," and seek a substantial increase in the Federal ap- 

 propriation. A similar resolution w^as adopted by the extension 

 section, which evidenced a realization of the situation and its vital 

 relation to the efficiency of all extension effort. These resolutions re- 

 ceived the indorsement of the executive committee, which recom- 

 mended that the present needs of the stations be presented to Congress 

 with a view to securing a supplementary appropriation. 



