May, 1921. 



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SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



EDITORIAL 



191 



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THE THRESHOLD. 



As one year approaches its end and a new year grows 

 closer, it is interesting and helpful to look ahead, to 

 form a mental picture of work to be done and to anti- 

 cipate the possible results of that work. Continued 

 experience in drawing such perspectives — looking 

 behind and docking ahead — increases the imaginative 

 power and, in course of time, often enables one to fore- 

 tell the future with a fair degree of accuracy. By the 

 development of .such a faculty, many pitfalls are avoid- 

 ed and many wise judgments made. In the backward 

 gaze we see our errors, the causes of those errors and 

 their results ; in our foward view, we must consider the 

 problems facing us and with discretion set about to 

 solve them. 



In just such a position the Canadian Society of Tech- 

 nical Agriculturists now finds itself. Those whose 

 particular duty it has been to direct that organization 

 during the past twelve months (the Dominion Execu- 

 tive Committee) will shortly have to consider the prob- 

 lems likely to be met in the next twelve months. Hav- 

 ing considered those problems, they must make certain 

 recommendations, listen to the opinions of represen- 

 tative members and turn over to a new Dominion 

 Executive the guiding reins. The new Executive must 

 then commence to conscientiously carry out the wishes 

 of the members, consider their problems and endeavour 

 to solve them. In the case of this particular organiza- 

 tion it must also consider the problems of an important 

 industry — Canadian Agriculture — and seek the co- 

 operation of numerous agencies in the solution of these 

 problems. 



In the actual performance of its executive duties, tlie 

 new committee will have its burdens lightened because 

 its personnel, with comparatively few exceptions, will 

 be the same as that which has held office during the 

 year now closing. A sufficient number of changes 

 have been made to admit new thought and new guid- 

 ing suggestions; those who bold office for a second 

 term will be able to give to the committee the adminis- 

 trative knowledge they have acquired from one year's 

 experience. 



The C.S.T.A. is at a critical stage of its history and 

 the year ahead is one in which a definite stand must 

 be taken upon many matters of importance. Above all 

 things the Society must retain its members and main- 

 tain their interest. In these days of comparative 

 penurj- — as regards technical agriculturists — no mem- 

 ber can afford to pa}' a membership fee to any organ- 



ization unless it concerns itself with problems in which 

 that member is directlj' interested, and problems which, 

 if solved, will benefit the condition in which that mem- 

 ber finds himself placed. 



Among the members of the C.S.T.A. there are a num- 

 ber of distinct classes — administrators, research wor- 

 kers, teachers, journalists, extension workers, farmers, 

 etc. Each of these classes has its own problems. To 

 cater to the needs of one particular class and neglect 

 the equally pressing needs of another, is to lose the 

 interest of those in the latter class and lose their mem- 

 bership. Such a result must be avoided and it can 'only 

 be avoided by the direction of concurrent effort along 

 several lines. This indicates tlie need for great activity. 

 Tlie Executive of the C.S.T.A. must promptly obtain, 

 from representative classes amongst its membership, a 

 list of problems requiring solution ; it mixst then formu- 

 late a policy that will solve those problems ; and finally 

 it must press its recommendations with all the forces it 

 can muster. If the ultimate object is justified, the 

 methods adopted in its accomplishment are equally 

 justified. Such questions as facilities for research, 

 salaries, appointments, agricultural policies, etc., have 

 been footballed from one committee to another and 

 from one appealing body to another with little or no 

 result. The C.S.T.A. must ultimately concern itself 

 directly with these questions and the sooner it does 

 so the better for the Society and the better for the 

 members. 



Having gone so far, and taken such steps as will sus- 

 tain the active interest of its members, the Society 

 must then concern itself with the larger problems of 

 Canadian agriculture. These problems interest and 

 benefit the members of the Society as a body and not 

 as groups or individuals. In this field the C.S.T.A. can 

 p\siy a significant part if it chooses to do so. 



One of the most important movements needed in 

 agriculture today — having regard to the financial con- 

 dition of the country and the place that agriculture 

 occupies as a basic industrj^ — is a movement that will 

 link more closely together the scientific and the com- 

 mercial. On the one hand are the scientists, the men 

 in the laboratories and on the experimental plots, in- 

 troducing new verieties, evolving methods of eradicat- 

 ing pests and diseases, etc. ; on the other hand are our 

 farmers, our government officials, federal and provin- 

 cial, and nuiny of oui- colleges, encouraging and intro- 

 ducing better methods of producing, marketing and 

 selling, standardizing grades and packages, etc. There 

 must be a coMimoii objective alicjnl of cacli ol" tlie two 



