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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LIII. No. 1375 



departmental organization, the place of genet- 

 ics in the curriculum in agricultural colleges 

 and cooperation in genetic investigations. 



In order to open up the subject and start 

 the discussion the above topics were assigned 

 in advance by Professor L. J. Cole, of Wis- 

 consin, who was largely instrumental in 

 bringing about the meeting. In the carrying 

 out of this plan Professors J. A. Detlefsen, 

 Illinois, and E. A. Emerson, Cornell, spoke on 

 organization. In their talks and the dis- 

 cussion which followed it was shown that in 

 many institutions the instruction and re- 

 search in genetics are scattered about in many 

 different departments with no one person or 

 department responsible for a fundamental 

 course in genetics. In other institutions some 

 genetics is taught in all departments with the 

 emphasis laid in some one department, while 

 in other institutions a separate department 

 of genetics has been established which assumes 

 all resi>onsibility for genetics although other 

 departments may give some special courses 

 and carry on particular lines of research 

 where the staff is interested and well fitted 

 to do such work. All were agreed that a fun- 

 damental, general course of genetics should be 

 required before taking up any applied courses 

 in breeding, but in what department that 

 course should be given is a secondary matter 

 to be determined by existing conditions. 

 Many thought it to be desirable for the teach- 

 ing staff to keep in touch with applied prob- 

 lems of genetics by carrying on investigations 

 of a practical nature although it would be un- 

 wise to limit either the theoretical or applied 

 research to a single department of genetics as 

 the outcome of such experiments depends so 

 largely on familiarity with the material 

 worked with and individual interest in par- 

 ticular problems. 



In order to bring the general conclusions to 

 the attention of the authorities of the agri- 

 cultural collies and experiment stations a 

 committee was appointed to draw up a state- 

 ment which would embody in a general way 

 the consensus of opinion of this meeting in 

 regard to the matter of departmental organi- 



zations. The following resolution was pre- 

 pared and adopted: 



As far as consistent with present organization in 

 agricultural colleges a single department of genet- 

 ics, prepared to liandle the elementary and ad- 

 vanced courses of general genetics and to direct 

 tlie investigational work on the basic principles of 

 genetics, has certain practical advantages in that 

 such an arrangement: (1) siimplifies administra- 

 tion and prevents unnecessary duplication; (2) 

 identifies and gives standing to the subject of 

 genetics in the curriculum; and (3) unifies in- 

 struction and research. Such a department should 

 not attempt to control all the investigational work 

 in specialized subjects on either the applied or 

 theoretical problems of genetics but would be able 

 to cooperate in every way possible to advance the 

 outcome of such investigations. 



The place of genetics in the agricultural 

 curriculum was discussed by Professors E. B. 

 Babcock, California, and S. A. Beach, Iowa. 

 In their presentations and in the discussion 

 which followed it was stated that it is theoret- 

 ically desirable that a general course in 

 genetics should be required of all students of 

 agriculture but that in practise it is not 

 always possible to do this. Most institutions 

 require genetics of students taking certain 

 courses, particularly those concerned directly 

 with plant and animal production. In other 

 institutions genetics is optional with the stu- 

 dent or left to the student advisers. Labora- 

 tory work is not always required except of 

 those students who intend to specialize in 

 genetics. A general course in genetics should 

 come as early in the curriculum as possible, 

 usually in the second or third year, and 

 should follow an elementary course in biology 

 or its equivalent and precede any of the 

 courses in applied genetics. This would seem 

 to be self-evident but as now practised this is 

 not always the case. There should, further- 

 more, be only one such elementary course, 

 in whatever department given, which should 

 treat of the general principles and lay the 

 foundation for further application to special 

 subjects. 



The subject of cooperation in genetic in- 

 vestigation was discussed by Professor M. J. 



