58 THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



yearly sums appropriated for each State and Territor}* con- 

 ditional upon the ascertainment by the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture that it had complied with the provisions of the act and 

 was entitled to receive its share of the appropriations for 

 agricultural experiment stations. 



The Smith-Lever Act of 1914, however, in addition to re- 

 quirements and conditions similar to those imposed by the 

 acts of 1887 and 1906, as a prerequisite to sharing in appro- 

 priations of federal funds, provides a detailed and compre- 

 hensive scheme of administration and control of expendi- 

 tures. It not only requires annual reports to be made of 

 receipts from all sources, and expenditures for carrying out 

 the objects of the act ; but expressly limits the scope of 

 activities of the state institutions under the act to coopera- 

 tive work of such a character as shall be mutually agreed 

 upon by representatives of each college and the Secretary 

 of Agriculture. It also makes prior approval by the Secre- 

 tary, of plans for the work to be carried on during each 

 year, an indispensable condition precedent to the payment of 

 any of the funds appropriated by Congress. 



The purpose and scope of the Smith-Lever Act, as stated 

 in its first two sections, are as follows: 



Section i. That in order to aid in diffusing among the people of 

 the United States useful and practical information on subjects relat- 

 ing to agriculture and home economics, and to encourage the appli- 

 cation of the same, there may be inaugurated in connection with 

 the college or colleges in each State now receiving, or which may 

 hereafter receive, the benefits of the Act of Congress approved July 

 second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, entitled ' An Act donating 

 public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide 

 colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts,' . . . 

 agricultural extension work which shall be carried on in cooperation 

 with the United States Department of Agriculture. . . . 



Section 2. That cooperative agricultural extension work shall 

 consist of the giving of instruction and practical demonstrations in 

 agriculture and home economics to persons not attending or resi- 

 dent in said colleges in the several communities and imparting to 

 such persons information on said subjects through field demonstra- 

 tions, publications, and otherwise; and this work shall be carried on 

 in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon by tlie Secretary of 

 Agriculture and the State agricultural college or colleges receiving 

 the benefits of this Act. 



