38 THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ests of economical and efficient administration may re- 

 quire."i° 



Complying with these instructions, a plan of reorganiza- 

 tion was submitted in the Book of Estimates of appropria- 

 tions for the fiscal year 1916, the estimates for the Depart- 

 .rnent of Agriculture for that year being based upon the pro- 

 posed plan. The recommendations were accepted by Con- 

 gress practically as submitted, and were approved by the 

 act of March 4, 191 5." 



As already indicated, the object of this latest reorganiza- 

 tion was not to change radically the normal functions of the 

 department, but rather to make possible a change of empha- 

 sis among these functions. It is true that as a result of this 

 and other legislation of the last few years, new functions 

 have been added, and many older ones have been greatly 

 stimulated and enlarged ; but with a few minor exceptions 

 the previously existing organization, with its bureaus, offices, 

 divisions and sections, was not changed. In a few instances 

 new designations were adopted which were intended to indi- 

 cate more clearly the principal functions of the various 

 units. The important changes that were made had to do 

 with the re-grouping and the reapportionment of the activi- 

 ties of the department. 



In making these changes, four fairly distinct objects were 

 Icept in view : first, the avoidance of all unnecessary duplica- 

 tion of effort ; second, the assignment of each activity to tliat 

 subdivision which was best adapted to the proper handling 

 of it; third, the provision of more and better facilities for 

 performing those functions which it was desired to empha- 

 size; and fourth, the division of the activities of each bureau 

 into three distinct groups comprising, respectively, its regu- 

 latory, its research, and its educational functions. 



At first glance, it might appear that a more logical group- 

 ing would have been secured by giving to certain bureaus 

 all of the regulatory work, to others all of the research work, 



"> ^R .Stat. L. 41. S. 

 i« 38 Stat. L. 1086. 



