EDITORIAL. 3 



station is a scientific institution. Its work in every department nnist 

 be on a basis that will command the respect and confidence of scien- 

 tific men as well as of the farmers. Moreover, it must be progressive, 

 advancing, going higher and higher as it develops. How can this be 

 the case if it runs against human limitations almost at the outset? 



Not all men entering the station work are to become investigators 

 in the scientific sense. It will not be exacted of them. There are 

 various grades of station work which have to be provided for; but 

 the standards for all classes of work are steadily advancing. We can 

 not always be expected to continue comparing varieties of cabbage or 

 strawberries to determine which are best for the marlvct gardener to 

 grow. We shall advance to a grade of work a step higher — perhaps 

 show him how he himself can improve varieties, and then what char- 

 acters are correlated wdth certain qualities. We shall lead him and 

 make him more independent, rather than keeping him dependent and 

 allowing his inertia to hold the station back. 



Hence the men who now enter the w^ork must be trained so that 

 they can see the real problems and have the right perspective as to 

 values. They must be able to make their work progressive in char- 

 acter and to bring into it more and more real investigation — features 

 which aim at establishing some of the fundamental facts. Then 

 their work will become productive. If the man lacks sufficiently 

 broad training and perspective, he will not be able to do this creative 

 kind of work, no matter how hard he tries. His department will 

 mark time, or the station will have to find someone to take his place. 

 So in selecting their new men, the stations must secure, as far as pos- 

 sible, men who have the desire, the qualifications, and the broad out- 

 look for progressive work, even though circumstances may for awhile 

 keep them at some rather elementary tasks. 



For the research work w^hich the station is to enter upon at once 

 it must have broadly educated and mature scientists, men who know 

 what constitutes the essentials of investigation and are able to apply 

 these to agricultural problems. No matter hoAv sincere and earnest 

 a station may be in its desire to carry on advanced investigation, it 

 will fall short of attaining this end unless it has the men suited by 

 taste and preparation. It can not develop a corps of productive in- 

 vestigators out of men who lack this foundation. The man whose 

 fundamental training has not been of such extent and character as to 

 give him the right point of view at the start, will be able to grasp only 

 feebly the kind of work which is wanted of him or to adapt himself 

 efficientlj^ to it. Not only will he not be resourceful in investigation, 

 but he will not have correct ideas of values and can not grow into the 

 position of a directing head of a department. The qualities which 

 fit a man for investigation are not picked up. except to a limited 

 degree. They are distinctly a product of his education, supple- 



