CONVENTION OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 327 



stations interested and of this Otlice. After discussion of the mutual 

 advantage of cooperation in these laroer eatf rprises, and of the facili- 

 ties of the Office for ])ring-ing together the , "suits of work along simi- 

 lar lines for publication, a plan of cooperation was suggested. It was 

 projjosed that lists of subjects should be submitted upon which coopera- 

 tion is deemed desiral)le, those subjects which are thus shown to be of 

 the most general interest to be taken up first. In conducting the 

 cooperation the stations would furnish the facilities and men, and the 

 Oflice of Experiment Stations would furnish a part of the necessary 

 funds and the general supervision and publish the results, full credit 

 being given to each station for the work done by it. A resolution 

 favoring this plan of cooperation and pledging the hearty support of 

 the stations interested was adopted by the conference. 



The standing committee on uniform fertilizer laws, of which H. J. 

 Wheeler is chairman, called attention to the satisfactory progress 

 which is being made in the direction of greater uniformity, the recom- 

 mendations of the association having been of value in securing the 

 recent passage or amendment of fertilizer laws in Alabama, Florida, 

 Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. This 

 report also included recommendations concerning the provisions of 

 laws for feeding stuii" inspection. 



The report of the standing committee on pure-food legislation, made 

 by W. A. Withers, noted considerable progress along the line of pure- 

 food legislation during the j^ear. New legislation was enacted in two 

 States, and provisions made by Congress for the inspection and control 

 by this Department of foods imported from foreign countries. This 

 was pronounced an unusualh' important step in food legislation, and 

 its execution has resulted in considerable progress in the preparation 

 of standards of purity. 



The report of the standing conmiittee on animal and plant breeding 

 was presented by the chairman, W. M. Hays. The progress made 

 during the year was reported as most satisfactory. The announcement 

 was made of a meeting to be held at St. Louis, December 29 and 30, 

 for t;he purpose of forming an association of plant and animal breeders. 



The committee on revision of methods of seed testing recommended 

 certain changes in the previous report, published as Circular 34 of this 

 Office. These changes relate to an improved germinating chamber and 

 other apparatus, instructions for sampling, etc. 



The farmers' institute work which the Department has taken up 

 through this Ofiice was outlined by A. C. True, who stated clearly the 

 policy of the Department in regard to this work. There will be no 

 attempt to interfere with the State management of farmers' institutes 

 in any wa}^, but rather to cooperate with the State officials and to aid 

 them in building up the institutes in the several States. The Depart- 

 ment will be a general agency for coordinating and strengthening this 



