100 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



March, 1921. 



A BUREAU OF INFORMATION. 



There is not at the present time in ('anada any source 

 from wliieh information i-an be ohtaineil refjarding the 

 qualifications, present duties and special interests of 

 trained agriculturists. It has been suggested tliat the 

 Canadian Society of Technical Agriculturists, having in 

 its membership over 500 trained men, 97 percent of 

 wliom are University graduates and all of whom have 

 had special training, might function as a very desirable 

 bureau from which information cduld be obtained liy 

 institutions employing technically trained men. 



Wliile the principle is commendable it would depend, 

 for its most efficient operation, ujjon the full su|)]>oi't. 

 not onl.y of departments, colleges, and conunercial firms, 

 but also of the individual members themselves. It would 

 be necessary for some central office to collect complete 

 information regarding each member of the Canadian 

 yoeiety of Technical Agriculturists. It would be equally 

 necessary that when vacancies occur requiring specially 

 ti-ained api»licants, notification should be sent to the 

 established bureau. And, in the third place, members of 

 the society who were desirous of taking up new Avork 

 should refer their wishes to this bureau. 



While tlie whole question is under consideration, it 

 will be necessary to give considerable time not onl>' to 

 the projjcr consideration of details but also to the col-, 

 lection of information from the members, before the bu- 

 reau can be definitely established. In tlie meantime 

 opinions and comments will be solicited from officials 

 who are in a i)osition to decide the merits of such a 

 movement. It should be understood tiiat the l)ureau is 

 intended to assist employers of technical men as nuich 

 as it intends to assist the men themselves. In other 

 words, it is not a union movement emanating from un- 

 satisfied employees but a movement suggested by those 

 who feel the need of some central office from which 

 they could ohtain information that would he beneficial 

 to thein in the selection of men to carry (JUt definitely 

 assigned duties. 



The members of the Dominion Executive Committee of 

 the Canadian Society of Technical Agriculturists have 

 already been consulted in the matter and have expressed 

 themselves as being favorable to the establishment of 

 such a bureau. It now remains for the Dominion Exe- 

 cutive to collect the necessary information from the 

 members and to secure the co-operation of all those who 

 employ technically ti-ained agriculturists. The task is 

 difficult but possible and should ultimately serve a iise- 

 ful purpose. 



As the General Secretary of the C.- S. T. A. is giving 

 special consideration to the preliminary details, it would 

 be very helpful if a free expression of opinion could be 

 given to him bv anv member who is intei-ested. 



there will have to be a clear understanding on the part 

 of members and eligible members of the objects for 

 which the organization stands. To those who have 

 given the Society direct assistance in the work already 

 accomplished and who have in this way been more 

 closely a.ssoeiated with the Society than others, the 

 principles of the organization are perhaj^s more clearly 

 understood than by those whose connection has not 

 been as direct or as intimate. An understanding of 

 the objects for which any society stands is imperative, 

 but such an understanding cannot always be formed 

 as the result of the personal connection of each uumu- 

 ber with the progress of the pai'ent body and so it re- 

 mains for those more closely connected with the direc- 

 tion of jjolicy and progress, to give to the mass of mem- 

 bers the clear understanding that is so desirable. 



In the present issue President Klinck, the first pre- 

 sident of the Canadian Society of Technical Agricul- 

 turists, has given a very clear statement in which he 

 outlines the main objectives which this new organiza- 

 tion hopes to fulfil. The statements of Pi'esident 

 Klinck may be accepted as being given after, and as 

 the result of, sound judgment. Thej' should remove 

 any doubts or misgivings as to the need for this new 

 organization and they should encourage a large num- 

 ber of those whose names are not now on the list of 

 members, to send in their applications and become 

 directly associated witli the progress of an organiza- 

 tion who.se objects arc so strongly ui^held by President 

 Klinck. 



THE OBJECTS OF THE C.S.T.A. 

 If the Canadian Society of Technical Agriculturists 

 is to attract all of those in this country who are eligi- 

 ble for membership and if it is to retain and sustain 

 the active interest of those who have already joined. 



RUKAL ENGINEERING. 



The iini)ortant place which a knowledge of mecha- 

 nics holds in the |)ursuit of agriculture is apjiarently 

 becoming more fully realized by those responsible for 

 the advaiu'cmcnt of the industry. One by one the 

 agricultural colleges are adding a distinct jilace in 

 their curriculum to agricultural engineering and we 

 find that manufacturers are responding rapidly to the 

 demand created for new and necessary appliances in 

 the equipment of the farm home and in the machinery 

 for the successful operation of the farm itself. There 

 is nothing W'hich will tend to relieve farming from the 

 "sordidness ami isolation" referred to by Pres. Rey- 

 nolds in Toronto two weeks ago, so much as the adiii- 

 tion to the farm of any equipment that Avill lessen 

 physical energy by promoting mechanical energy. 



In the columns of "Scientific Agriculture."" the im- 

 portance of rural engineering will not be overlooked. 

 We have, in the pi-esent issue, published an article by 

 J. M. Smith of the University of Alberta in which the 

 place of engineering in agriculture is clearly summed 

 up. This article is intended to serve as an introdiu-- 

 tion to a series of articles dealing more specifically 

 with the whol(> question of engineering as api)lied to 

 farm life. 



