6O AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS AND RESEARCH 



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(2) The Chemical Division, dealing with physical, 

 chemical (organic and inorganic), and bio-chemical 

 problems. 



(3) The Botanical Division, concerned chiefly with plant 

 improvement. 



(4) The Bacteriological Division, dealing with soil and 

 other agricultural bacteria. 



(5) The Division of Plant Pathology, fungoid and 

 bacterial. 



(6) The Division of Entomology. 



(7) The Veterinary Division, which may include re- 

 search and manufacturing laboratories for the production 

 of sera. 



(8) Library, publications, illustrations. 



(9) Special crops and industries, for which separate 

 officers should, when necessary, be appointed. In a 

 tropical country these might include special investigations 

 on sugar-cane, cotton, tea, rubber, etc. 



At the head of the whole should be appointed a director 

 with a separate office, and this brings us to the con- 

 sideration of the principles that should guide the selection 

 of the occupant of such an important post. Views on 

 this differ widely. At one extreme we have the view that 

 the director of a scientific institute should himself be a 

 scientific man, so that he can manage and control the 

 work of those under him by the weight of his knowledge 

 and personality. At the other, there are those who hold 

 the opinion that he should not be by profession a scientific 

 man, as he would be apt to be biased in the direction of 

 his own branch to the detriment of the others. 



In the opinion of the writer, neither of the extreme 

 views are a suitable guide. It is conceivable that the 

 best man available may be a highly trained scientific man, 

 but it is equally possible that he may not. He would not 

 close the door in either case, but would base the principle 

 of selection more on general qualities for organization 

 and control, coupled with sympathy and general under- 

 standing of the work and preparedness to sink his 

 individuality. The opportunities for cheap and startling 

 notoriety gained from the achievements of those under 

 him are great to the director of an Agricultural Research 



