ANNUAL REPORT, 1936 5 



The greenkeepers, too, are very active in soliciting our aid in the solution 

 of the many problems confronting those who have the direct responsibility 

 for providing such golfing facilities as a recreation-conscious public is in- 

 creasingly demanding. 



The poultry interests in the State are very urgent in requesting our assist- 

 ance in providing them with certain information and protection regarding 

 many of the claims made for vitamin values of poultry feeds. Such services 

 are already fairly well established in some of the other states, and analytical 

 methods in this field are rapidly becoming a part of Feed Control regulations. 

 Sooner or later, the State of Massachusetts will need to deal with this matter, 

 and it is hoped that Legislative approval may be gained for an item at present 

 included in our budget for the purpose of establishing a small laboratory 

 jn which the several feeds may be put to direct feeding tests. 



To meet these and several other definite demands requires an expanding 

 budget and it was planned that the gradual enlargement in funds available 

 from federal Bankhead-Jones sources might enable the Experiment Station 

 to meet these needs. Unfortunately, however, present recommendations, as 

 prepared by the Budget Commissioner, fall very decidedly short of meeting 

 even the financial requirements of the program already in operation. To 

 be faced with the need for curtailment at a time when we are confronted 

 with these increasing demands for service will induce some of our agricultural 

 groups to seek direct action in obtaining legislative appropriations. This 

 type of expansion does not necessarily make for the most satisfactory pro- 

 gram; but unless the Legislature, through its advisors, realizes the need 

 for taking the initiative, there is sure to be an attempt to confront it regularly 

 with demands for comparatively large increases in our financial support. 



The unemployment situation during the depression and the experiences in 

 providing means for temporary relief in the hope of promoting recovery 

 have furnished adequate proof that much national planning is necessary if 

 such future low levels in our economic and social life are to be avoided. It 

 is evident that public works projects as inaugurated, not only locally but 

 nationally, ranked foremost in their constructive value. Since it is generally 

 recognized that periods of prosperity are regularly followed by depression 

 lows much the same as hills alternate with dales, it would appear the part 

 of wisdom to anticipate and plan for the next depression now that the country 

 is well on the way to recovery. Such planning, to be sound, requires not 

 only all the wisdom available but, what is even more essential, an unpreju- 

 diced approach. Such assignments are not new to agricultural experiment 

 stations in their function as public service agencies and it is not only natural 

 but highly desirable that they should take a very active part in the develop- 

 ment of a sound and permanent program for dealing with problems of 

 unemployment and general economic and social sickness. 



The soil conservation program, as organized under the federal adminis- 

 tration, is one of those plans that is sure to find a very practical and permanent 

 place after some of the political prejudices and the primary administrational 

 difficulties have been overcome. Naturally, such a program is decidedly 

 influenced by local conditions. The United States represent all extremes 

 in variations in the agriculture of the northern temperate zone. These ex- 

 tremes are further influenced by such artificial economic factors as always 

 have a significant bearing on the practical phases of any industry. Most of 

 the problems, therefore, are more or less unique to a region within the area 

 and local authorities will find it necessary to exert considerable leadership 



