326 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



tho increase in the number of engineering- pro))lems in agriculture and 

 their prominence, the enormous extent to which agricultural machinery, 

 and especially that of a complicated (;haracter, is being used by Amer- 

 ican farmers, the problems of irrigation and of drainage, the terracing 

 of hillsides, the construction of roads, and other matters, as illustrating 

 thfe desirability of more sj'^stematic attention to instruction in these 

 topics in connection with the college courses and of extended scientific 

 investigation. The courses in engineering in the colleges, it was 

 stated, have not kept pace with the progress of the times. The com- 

 mittee declared in favor of separate departments of rural engineering 

 in the colleges, and the enlargement of the work of this Department to 

 include agricultural oigineering in addition to irrigation, and recom- 

 mended that the executive committee of the association aid in securing 

 the increased appropriation asked from Congress for the latter purpose. 

 This report was adopted, and tho association also adopted a resolution 

 commending the work of the Department along the lines of irrigation 

 and agricultural engineering. The report brought out considerable 

 discussion and indicated that this matter is occupying the attention of 

 a number of institutions at this time. A special request was made that 

 the report of the committee be speedily published in circular form in 

 order that it ma}^ be available. 



The report of the conunittee on collective college and station exhibit 

 at the St. Louis Exposition was presented by W. H. Jordan, chairman, 

 who outlined the origin and history of this movement, and gave an 

 abstract of the law making appropriation for installing and maintain- 

 ing an exhibit of animals and materials belonging to or used by the 

 land-grant colleges and experiment stations. Details concerning the 

 exhibit, such as the position, classilication, allotment of space, and allot- 

 ment of funds, were entered into, and a list was given of the persons 

 in charge of the different exhibits. Doctor Jordan urged the hearty 

 cooperation of the colleges and stations in the preparation of this 

 exhibit. 



The report of the committee on cooperation between the stations 

 and this Department, presented by E. A. Bryan, called attention to the 

 statement of fundamental principles embodied in the two previous 

 reports, expressed gratification at the appointment of a committee 

 within the Department of Agriculture for perfecting the details of a 

 system of cooperation, and reiterated its belief that a full and free 

 consultation between the stations and the members of the Department 

 forces in regard to the work undertaken in the several States is very 

 desirable, and would do much to remove possible sources of friction. 



In this connection mention may be made of a conference held just 

 prior to the convention, on cooperation between the Department and 

 the stations in expei'iments relating to irrigation and agricultural 

 engineering. The conference was attended by representatives of the 



