.Miii'Hi, 1921. SCJIENTl FI C 



AGRICULTURE 



0, 



EDITORIAL 



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IN PRAISE OF THE 0. A. C. 



For over forty years, from a small beginning, with a 

 steadily expanding purpose and a rajtidly strengtlien- 

 ing influenee, the Ontario Agricultural College has done 

 its duty. It lias turned out graduates who, as a result 

 of their training, have carried new i)rinci|)les and prac- 

 tices into rural conimnnities, haxc given freely of tlieir 

 knowledge to any wlio sought it and have, in a score of 

 different callings and in every i)rovince of Canada, re- 

 flected credit upon their Alma Mater. Nor do we mean 

 to imply that these men have not gone further afield. 

 The gain of other countries and especially the United 

 States, has been in this respect the loss of Canada ; for, 

 to quote one of the speakers at the recent convention in 

 Toronto, "F'rom the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the 

 Gulf of Mexico to the farthest north, who sees the let- 

 ters 0. A. C. sees Ontario Agricultural College." 



Thus, by more than geometric ratio, has the indivi- 

 dual student leaving Guelph, spread the fame of the 

 college. But that is incidental. Tlie important point is 

 that he, too, has done his duty by advancing agriculture, 

 and who can blame the man in any calling who, in doing 

 his duty, is generous enough to give credit to the insti- 

 tution in which he was ti'ained ? Taking into considera- 

 tion the age of the Ontario Agricultural ("ollege, the 

 numl)er of students who have passed through its doors 

 and the widely scattered cou.stituencies in which they 

 are now working, we can imagine a picture, witli the col- 

 lege as its background, that could not easily be over- 

 cluu'ged. And the title of tlie picture might well he 

 "Duty Well Done". 



We do not pretend that the Ontario Agricultural Col- 

 legs is beyond criticism, for no progressive enterprise 

 can escape criticism. In the main, criticism is con- 

 .structive and usuall.y a sign of advancement. The scope 

 and future development of all agricultural colleges must 

 be nu)ulded, in a large degree, out of merited sugges- 

 tion and criticism, and upon the extent to whicli these 

 institutions are willing to respond to comment, will their 

 rate of progress and measure of usefulness depend. 



And so, in doing our monthly editorial duty, W'e send 

 an issue to the presses which gives deserving prominence 

 to the 0. A. C. We wisli long and continuous jjrosperitA- 

 to an in.stitution already long established aiul we wish 

 success to tiie provincial Aluiiiiii, now (jrganizeti, and to 

 its members. Tresumahly our editorial duty is to re- 

 cord thoughts that are dominant and subjects that are 

 timely. Therefore editorials, though ai)pearing, in this 

 instance at least, on the first page, ai-e usually written 

 last. They are always written with good intentions, 

 even if in great haste. No thought could be iiku-c dom- 

 inant, few subjects more timely and no duty moi-e plea- 

 sant than a word of prais(^ to a deserving institution. 



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AGRICULTURAL POLICIES. 



In an era when agriculture is so manifestly the main 

 source of Canada's prosperity, no question is more im- 

 portant than the policies which direct that industry. 

 Policy, we may suppose, should be interpreted to mean 

 the manner in which the several branches of agriculture 

 are directed, the definite duties assigned to each anfl 

 the extent to which those duties are co-related to bring 

 aboiit efficiency a)ul to avoid duplication of effort. 



Within very recent years the various agencies which 

 direct the agricultural policies of Canada appear to 

 have realized the importance of a co-ordination of ef- 

 fort. The meeting of the provincial deputy ministers 

 of agriculture with representatives of the Dominion 

 Department of Agriculture, which was held in Ottawa 

 just one year ago, appeared to be a step in the right 

 direction. The report of that meeting has now been 

 published and we hope that progress is being made in 

 respect to some of the more important decisions reacli 

 ed. Inasmuch as the question of agricultural policies, 

 besides affecting the Dominion and Provincial Depart- 

 ments of Agriculture, also bears directly ui^on agricul- 

 tural colleges and covers such vital questions as re- 

 search, experimentation, extension, education, adminis 

 tration, publicity, etc., it would seem that a great deal 

 of very careful thought will have to be given before uni- 

 formity of policy can be expected. The situation as it 

 exists today is not by any means entirely satisfactory 

 and it would appear that before needed adjustments 

 can be made, institutions and departments must come 

 together, face the conditions in a broadminded, unselfish 

 and co-operative light and agree upon a definitely 

 stated and clearly co-ordinated arrangement. 



At a recent meeting of the B. C. Branch of the Can- 

 adian Society of Technical Agriculturists, held in Van- 

 couver, the members passed a resolution endorsing the 

 agricultural jiolicies on co-relation of w'ork. as laid down 

 by President Klinck in Ottawa last June. It is fur- 

 ther suggested in the resolution, (1) that the recom- 

 mendations of President Klinck be presented at the 

 Winnipeg Convention of the C. S. T. A. next June, as a 

 basis of discu.ssion, (2) that if approved, the Federal 

 Mini.stcr of Agricultui-e be rccpiested to appoint a com- 

 missiim to enquire into the (jucstion of division and co- 

 rclaticm of work, and {:]) tiiat the report of the com- 

 mission be submitted to and reported on, by a general 

 meeting of the C. S. T. A. before any of its recommen- 

 dations are carried into effect. ~ 



Tlu'i'c is much to be said in favoi- of the i-esolution 

 outlined above. A fair representation in Wiiuupeg of 

 responsible officials should mean the beginning of de- 

 finite steps towards nuich needed adjustment in a mat 

 ter of great luitional inip(n-tancc. 



