EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XX. September, 1908. No. 1. 



The call for men to carry on the work of the agricultural colleges 

 and experiment stations has continued unabated during the past year. 

 At this season, when changes are being made and new plans put into 

 effect, the demand is especially imperative. It comes with particular 

 stress for men to fill the higher positions in the work of these institu- 

 tions, notably the advanced work in the experiment stations. 



The difficulty of filling positions satisfactorily is increasing as the 

 demand becomes more exacting. Standards have changed materially 

 in the last few years. More and more emphasis is being laid on new 

 appointees having had broad training, in addition to their college 

 course. Less stress than formerly is laid on the practical training 

 and experience, and more upon a thorough grounding in the princi- 

 ples of science and a true conception of the spirit and methods of 

 research. Given the latter, a sufficient familiarity with practice to 

 bring the investigator into touch with its problems may be acquired ; 

 but the reverse does not follow. 



The change in character of the demand has been gradual but steady. 

 Already it has left behind many who started out in the work origi- 

 nally, or even a decade ago. The development of stations all over 

 the country has presented such differences in standards and in grade 

 of work that in the past men with but little special training beyond 

 the college course have usually been able to find places in the work, 

 if they combined other desirable qualities. Gradually, however, the 

 necessity for more advanced study of agricultural problems has be- 

 come widespread ; and especially since the passage of the Adams Act 

 the attempt to inaugurate more work of that class has been general 

 throughout the country. The latter has exercised an unmistakable 

 influence on the work of the stations as a whole, and has thus made 

 new demands on the personnel, present and prospective. It has 

 directed more attention to investigation and to the necessary prepara- 

 tion for it. 



The first effort in inaugurating these investigations was to conduct 

 them mainly with the staff which the station already had. Men who 

 could be added for this purpose were scarce, and furthermore the 



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