ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 

 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT 

 STATION — 1940 



INTRODUCTION 



F. J. Sievers, Director 



Research, as first inaugurated in our agricultural experiment stations, had 

 as its primary, if not its sole, objective a direct service to the farmer in 

 the -development of a more eflficient production of agricultural products. 

 While this objective appealed to the imagination of those delegated the 

 responsibility of directing the activities of the experiment stations, its 

 interpretation required modification so that the program of investigation 

 could include also the problems of the farm home and, more recently, the 

 problems of the entire consuming public where these problems were related 

 to or influenced by the products of agriculture. 



In the last several years, and especially during the period of depression 

 when the nation was confronted with several paradoxical situations in its 

 economy, it became evident that a critical evaluation of all public service 

 agencies was in order. As a result of such a study the conclusion became 

 self-evident that, while the problems over which the farmer could and 

 might exercise control had been quite adequately served, there was not the 

 same organized interest in serving the agricultural industry as a whole. 

 With this study came a realization that the problems of the agricultural 

 industry were not the concern of the farmer solely but were more especial- 

 ly a matter of public concern, and that some public agency was needed to 

 give these problems emphatic and intelligent consideration. For this service 

 the state agricultural experiment stations were naturally considered best 

 qualified. 



The acceptance of this responsibility, however, will affect not only the 

 extent but more especially the nature of the work. By degrees, this change 

 in service will be reflected in the projects which furnish a basis for these 

 Annual Reports. Not only will experiment stations hereafter be required 

 to furnish tlic technical or experimental evidence essential to the solution 

 of problems of the farmer; they will need to become the source ul tlial 

 leadership which will keep the agricultural industry on a sound basis. The 

 experiment stations should be relied upon to furnish the protection neces- 

 sary to make sure that the practices developed on the farm in the interest 

 of profit, or even of subsistence, are not operating to the detriment of the 

 agricultural industry or the permanency of agricultural production, because 

 it is recognized as unsound to depend upon the farmer in a matter of 

 such wide general interest. 



It is hoped that this report may contain some evidence tiuit tlie Massa- 

 chusetts Station is taking tiiis new responsibility seriously. 



