308 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



munity which had hitherto found little in the work of the college 

 of direct application to its particular needs. The same college has 

 also provided a special extension instructor in civic betterment, work- 

 ing in connection with the landscape gardening department, to give 

 assistance in rural and village improvement enterprises, such as the 

 planting and care of shade and street trees^ the planning of play- 

 grounds, cemeteries, and picnic grounds, the beautifying of water 

 fronts, and the arrangement and development of town commons. 

 It is anticipated that much of this work w^ill be conducted in coopera- 

 tion with local granges^ men's and women's clubs, village improve- 

 ment societies, and similar organizations. 



The criticism is sometimes expressed that the agricultural colleges 

 have been too largely concerned with the material problems of farm 

 life, and however this may be, it is certain that they have a legitimate 

 field for leadership through the social forces at work under rural 

 conditions. As Dean Russell of Wisconsin has said, " the problems 

 of agriculture are so intimately and inextricably bound up with those 

 of country life in general that it is well nigh impossible to separate 

 them. In its last analysis, all of the questions that concern us rela- 

 tive to crop production and utilization are only incidental to the more 

 fundamental inquiries regarding country living, for the farm is not 

 only a place of business but a home." If the colleges in addition to 

 increasing the farmer's income can add to the richness and attractive- 

 ness of rural life they will have demonstrated anew their right to a 

 position of rural leadership. 



