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tlu' most i)ros|)en)iis agriculture ou our western plains, l)ut why regret 

 if the herdsman is supplanted by the irrigator^ 



And even when the importance of economic- factors as related to 

 agricultural production has been acknowledged it has too often been 

 forgotten that agriculture is not likely to prove a satisfactory and 

 attractive ])ursuit in any conununity. however favored as regards skill 

 in production and success in buying and selling unless the social con- 

 ditions are also favorable to country life. 



The awakening of interest in the economic and social problems of 

 iigricultural counnunities which is bound to follow the in(iuiries of 

 the Commission on Country Life will have only a transient effect 

 unless it is succeeded by the establishment of ])ermanent institutions 

 for the study of such problems and the preparation of exjjerts in these 

 lino, ^^'hen we consider the vast extent of our country and the 

 varied character and environment of our agricultural people it can 

 hardly be expected that an}- satisfactory solution of the complex 

 economic and social i)roblems of different regions can be reached until 

 after nuiny years spent in the most careful study of local conditions 

 by thoroughly trained experts. At present we have neither the facts 

 nor the experts. 



To secure the exjx-rts it will be necessary to broaden the work of 

 our agricidtural colleges and build up in them strong departments of 

 agricultural economics and sociology. A beginning has been made in 

 this direction, but jiresent provision for such studies is wholly inade- 

 (|uate. It seems likely that the same process of evolution nnist go on 

 in these dej>artments as has occurred in the de[)artments for agri- 



• idtural production. First, a few men will roughly block out the 

 proltlems and attemi)t instruction on tliem. Then the need of research 

 will be apparent, and fragmentary efforts wdll be made in this line. 

 Hut the depaitments of instruction in agricultiwal economics and 

 >ocioIogy will never be in satisfactory condition imtil agencies for 

 •systematic research in these lines are established and have done con- 

 siderable work. 



Herein lies a great o[)porliinity for the National anil State depart- 

 ments of agricidture and the agricultural colleges. It is the joint 

 work of all these agencies which alone will secure the best results. 

 The icport of the Connnissiou on County Life points out the path 

 along which progress should be made in the immediate future. Oiu* 



• liief puii)ose here is to em[)hasize the im[)()i-tance of the work of this 

 conmiission as related to our agriculttiral colleges. It will be well if 

 these iu>titutions follow closely the work of the commission and get 

 ready to take up the work wheti the commission leaves it. 



One factoi- in the |)resent development of our agricultural colleges 

 is of great im|)()rtance in this connection. As is well known, these 



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