^epteml'er, IMi'l 



SCIKXTIP'IC A(",RICL'LTURE 



Concerning the C.S.T.A. and Its Branches 



BY THE GENERAL-SECRETARY 



There Iia.s iievei- been a time in the hist- 

 ory (f the L\ y. T. A. wlieii those who were 

 {lirectiiig its operations eould safely say 

 tliat it was not confronted with any diffi- 

 culty and that it was in a prosperous and 

 thi-iving condition. From the very begin- 

 ning difficulties and obstacles have con- 

 stantly i)resented themselves, and in the 

 solution of these problems — which at 

 times seemed impossible of solution — the 

 organization has gained experience and ac- 

 • luired strength. Tlie result is that today 

 we liave a well organized liody of six hun- 

 dred members, thirteen local branches and, 

 finally, a Society-owned magazine. 



At the time of writing the successful 

 operation of the C. S. T. A. appears to be 

 beset with new and astoundingly serious 

 difficulties. And yet anyone who calmly 

 studies the prospects ahead of the organiza- 

 tion, who carefully reads the opinions of 

 prominent members and who takes for 

 granted a Dominion-wide member-interest, 

 cannot become discouraged or pessimistic. 



HoAv is the member-interest to be sustain- 

 ed .' 01)vionsly tlie most direct method is 

 tlirough the columns of the official organ, 

 and that method should be encouraged. If 

 Scientific Agriculture is not to provide a 

 medium for free and frank expressions of 

 ojnnion among the members, upon ques- 

 tions of mutual interest, then one of the 

 main purposes of an official organ is re- 

 moved. The various local branches should 

 encourage, among their members, the use 

 of their official organ as a channel through 

 whicli (juestions of common — or even lo- 

 '•al — interest may be discussed by their 

 fellow members in otlier parts of the conn- 

 ti-y.' That is the basic elemeut essential to 

 progress. 



Once the member-interest is created, the 

 period of serious difficulties is past. Tt is 

 then possible to create direct interest and 

 personal co-operation between the local 

 branches, the various committees, the Edi- 

 torial Board and the Dominion Executive. 

 Such questions as finances, articles, circu- 



lation, advertising, new members, and so 

 tcrtli, wid be a matter of common interest 

 ana concern. That is the ideal towards 

 which we are aiming and it is confidence in 

 tlie attainment of that ideal that oblitera- 

 tes any discouragement that might other- 

 wise be felt Avnen new difficulties present 

 themselves. 



In a word, the C. S. T. A. is now in a 

 position to move forward, to prosper and 

 to perform new service. The members of 

 the Dominion Executive have sent that mes- 

 sage forward to the local branches, and in 

 course of time it will reach every member 

 and every prospective member. 



BUREAU OF RECORDS. 



Plans are now lieing developed for the 

 establishment in the office of the General 

 Secretary of the Bureau of Records which 

 was proposed at the Winnipeg Convention. 

 A questionnaire is being drawn up with 

 which every meml)er will be furnished, and 

 which will give the infoi-mation necessarj' 

 for the successful operationof the Bureau. 

 Before this questionnaire is 'sent out it will 

 be referred to the members of the Dom- 

 inion Executive and to the local branch 

 Executives, so that ever}- opportunity may 

 be provided for suggestions, changes and 

 additions. 



There is already some misunderstanding 

 as to the purpose of the Bureau of Re- 

 cords; some have hinted that it savours 

 somewhat of an "Employment Bureau", 

 or a "clearing house" between the em- 

 ployers of technically trained men and the 

 men themselves. It was never the inten- 

 tion of those who introduced the question 

 at Winnipeg, that the Bureau should so 

 function. The purpose of the Bureau is to 

 provide first of all a complete indexed re- 

 cord of each and every member of tlie So- 

 cietv — his training, experience, and gen- 

 eral qualifications — and to have that in- 

 formation classified and used, either as a 

 record or made available to those seeking 



