15 



jointly. The extent and method of this co-operation must necessarily 

 vary with circumstances. When a national agency takes hold of such 

 questions, it needs to avail itself of the experience and the knowledge 

 of local conditions possessed by local agencies, and, therefore, will 

 wisely work through these agencies as far as possible, supplementing 

 them where necessary, but employing its own agents directly only 

 where the local agencies are insufficient. At present, effective means 

 for the correlation of national and state agencies is lacking, and the 

 want of it is a serious hindrance to the progress of agricultural research. 

 As a means to that end we recommend the formation of a permanent 

 board made up of representatives from institutions receiving federal 

 aid, or jointly federal and state aid. This board should meet fre- 

 quently to discuss the mutual relations of the different institutions and 

 agencies, defining from time to time the principles that should govern 

 each. The influence of such a board if properly organized might be 

 considerable. It may be comparable with that of the Board of State 

 Governors, recently in session in Washington. 



Part II. Economic and Social Phases of Agricultural Investigation. 



Thus far our agricultural investigation and teaching have been 

 almost wholly in the field of applying modern science to the productive 

 side of agriculture. But this side is only half the story. The other 

 part should include an equally careful consideration of those business, 

 economic, social, and governmental factors that forever play so large a 

 part in the welfare of the farmer and which so frequently govern the 

 conditions under which he produces and sells his crops, and which 

 create the atmosphere of the community in which he lives out his life. 



The field of work of an investigation which we consider advisable 

 should at first be confined to our own country, but ultimately we might 

 expect to learn much from careful study of conditions abroad, perhaps 

 particularly in Europe. 



The scope of the work should embrace all phases of rural social 

 science. This term "Rural Social Science," should include substan- 

 tially all that field of investigation not covered by the study of physical 

 and natural sciences in their application to agriculture. "Rural 

 Economics" means distinctly a study of economic questions with rela- 

 tion to the industry of agriculture. "Rural Social Science" considers 

 those phases of community life which have to do with people who live 

 under a rural environment as distinguished from those in an urban 

 environment. 



Our investigations should have an historical basis, but only so far 

 as the development of movements may throw light on the existing 

 status or on future prospects. The largest emphasis should be placed 



