THE ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL DEPART- 

 MENTS IN RELATION TO RESEARCH WORK. 



By GERALD C. DUDGEON, F.E.S. 



Consulting Agriculturist, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt; 

 Vice-President, International Association for Tropical 

 Agriculture. 



THE ever-changing demands of the markets of the 

 world render necessary the frequent introduction of new 

 or improved methods in agricultural practice; and, in 

 order that the new enterprise shall succeed from its 

 commencement, it becomes imperative that the course 

 followed shall be one of precision and in accordance with 

 scientific principles. 



The practical agriculturist must certainly continue for 

 the present to be the most important participator in the 

 production of crops, but he cannot have the leisure or 

 sufficient opportunity for the examination and proper 

 determination of the use of natural phenomena upon 

 which the improvement of his practical work may often 

 depend. 



The study of the laws of natural or chemical science 

 which may be applied to ensure certain results, or the 

 suggestion of the manner in which they can be adapted 

 advantageously to agriculture, must be left to the 

 specialist; the practical agriculturist finding sufficient 

 occupation in the application of the suggestion to his 

 land or crops. That modern agriculture owes its 

 advancement largely to the labours of research chemists, 

 entomologists, and botanists can scarcely be questioned. 



The functions of a Government Department of Agricul- 

 ture entail the provision of advice, assistance, and 

 protection to the cultivators in the country to enable 

 them to compete successfully with those of other 

 countries. Such a department itself should have no 

 commercial interest in the products of the soil, but should 



