Septembei-, 1921 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



EDITORIAL 



Tlu' i)ul)licati(in of !Sci( ittific Ayi icidi ure 

 ill tlie present t'onu marks an important 

 step on tlie part of the Canadian tSoeiety 

 of leeiinieal Agrieultnrists, and one which 

 shoulil ensure tne permaiienee of the mag- 

 azine as a vital part of the Society's work. 

 Tlie ti-ansfer of ownership from the former 

 pul)lishers tc the C. S. T. A. shoukl give 

 tlie members of the Society a ckiser per- 

 sonal interest in their official organ, since 

 ownership implies responsibility in the 

 success or failure of any enterprise. Owner- 

 ship also provides complete direction and 

 control of policy and in that sense, too, 

 the change will permit of full considera- 

 tion of the members' wishes. 



The change in the management of the 

 magazine was neither sought nor expected 

 by the Society. A suspension of publica- 

 tion was forced upon the former publishers 

 by prolonged industrial depression and 

 steadily decreasing revenue. The burden 

 could not be maintained longer by a com- 

 mercial institution ; it was necessary to 

 curtail operating expenses in every possible 

 way, and to continue the publication of 

 only such magazines as were, at least; 

 meeting the cost of production. Scientific 

 Agriculture was not among these. 



In taking over the magazine during such 

 a period, and resuming publication, it will 

 be realized that the Society assumed a par- 

 ticularly heavy responsibility. It appeared 

 almost certain, however, that without an 

 official organ, much of its usefulness would 

 be lost, its progress would be handicapped 

 and the interest of many of its members 

 sustained only with difficulty. These con- 

 ditions demanded the continuance of Scien- 

 tific Agi iculture. It was also believed that, 

 under Society ownership and control, the 

 members of the organization would all as- 

 sume a share of the responsibility and give 

 such jiersonal assistance as would justify 

 the confident attitude assumed by the Exe- 

 cutive of the Society. 



A number of changes have been made, 

 not only in the size of the magazine but 

 also in some of the features connected Avith 

 its e'^itoi-ial jiolicy and direction. Tliese 



changes will, we believe, meet with the ap- 

 pi-oval of all those receiving the magazine. 

 The financial considerations involved in 

 the ownership of Scientific Agriculture 

 and therefore in the future conduct of the 

 Society's operations, made it necessary to 

 suspend publication from the end of June 

 until the present time. In the interim all 

 details connected with the transfer have, 

 been satisfactorily adjusted, considerable 

 effort lias been made to formulate an ad- 

 vertising policy and to bring the magazine 

 to the attention of firms and institutions 

 •who have something to offer to progressive 

 agriculture, and consideration has been 

 given to ways and means of increasing cir- 

 culation and conducting the more commer- 

 cial lines of work involved. 



In future the magazine will be publish- 

 ed during the last week of the month pre- 

 ceding date of is.sue, the present issue ( Seii- 

 teiiiber) appearing at the end of August. 

 Volume II will therefore contain only four 

 numbers — September, October, November 

 and December. 



The reduction in the page size has been 

 made at the request of many of our sub- 

 scribers and members. The former size 

 was not suitable for binding or filing, and 

 was an inconvenient size for the printing 

 of separates. The present size conforms 

 closely to that of practically all technical 

 or scientific journals, which is another 

 feature distinctly in its favour. 



The Editorial Board, announced in this 

 issue will, it is hoped, function to the full- 

 est possible extent in the near future, and 

 thus ensure a permanent or constant sup- 

 ply of suitable material. Otherwise there 

 will be great difficulty in maintaining the 

 standard that has already been established. 



The Canadian Society of Technical Agri- 

 culturists, as the owners of Scientific Agri- 

 culture, now assumes the full responsibility 

 for its success or failure. In addition to 

 the conduct of its educati(mal programme, 

 the operations of its branches and the con- 

 sideration of problems and conditions con- 

 fronting its members, it must now 6uter the 

 commercial field and at least produce suf- 



