SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV. No. 1410. 



suited in the effort to refine them without go- 

 ing outside of them or bringing to their sup- 

 port more abstract types of inquiry which the 

 changing status of the problems made neces- 

 sary. 



This is not to overlook or to minimize in 

 the least the increasing extent to which agri- 

 cultural research has advanced into new fields 

 or stages of inquiry, has developed improved 

 methods and means of progress, and has been 

 rewarded with results comparable with those 

 in any line of investigation. Such effort has 

 well illustrated the truth that in this branch 

 of research as in other walks of life "we build 

 the ladder by which we rise" ; and it argues for 

 a type of experimental work which is critical 

 of its methods and conclusions, seeking means 

 for strengthening them and avoiding error or 

 uncertainty. But certain types of work have 

 not been marked by such growth of vision and 

 method, with the result that they have become 

 doubtful means of scientific progress at the 

 present time. They continue to perpetuate 

 their possible errors or inherent limitations 

 after these have been disclosed. They are not 

 fulfilling the expectations originally placed 

 upon them; and while they have been useful 

 up to a certain point, they are accumulating 

 data after they have ceased to shed new light. 



The aim of science is simplicity, the dissolu- 

 tion of complexities, and development of sim- 

 ple facts and statements easily comprehended. 

 Its method begins with a simplifying process, 

 the analysis of problems to get at their real 

 nature and content, the resolution of complex 

 questions into parts which are sufficiently sim- 

 ple and self-contained to be capable of study. 

 Often this can be only partially done at the 

 outset, but as the investigation proceeds and 

 the real nature of the problem is disclosed, the 

 segregating process becomes easier. 



In agricultural investigation this is diffieult 

 because of the many factors embraced, and in 

 the more common types of work with plants and 

 animals it has been followed to only a limited 

 extent. More often the problem has been an 

 involved and complex one from the start, em- 

 bracing a wide range of phenomena, and in- 



stead of being simplified and reduced to smaller 

 definite units as the work progressed, it has 

 gathered bulk as it went, like a snow ball, until 

 it has become such a complicated aggregation 

 as to be well-nigh unworkable. Too large for 

 any intimate study, the mechanics and routine 

 of it have occupied the full time, and it has 

 often degenerated into the broad accumulation 

 of data. 



In constructive research data are secured 

 for use, not for themselves. They are designed 

 for a definite purpose — to solve a concrete f)rob- 

 lem, to prove or disprove a conception or an 

 idea, to disclose scientific facts. The undirected 

 collection of facts, whether they be observa- 

 tions, results of experiments, or what not, leads 

 to complexity, to an aggregation of data which 

 must first be classified before being used in 

 molding a scientific explanation or a principle, 

 or developing even practical information. Un- 

 less there is a clear objective and an idea to 

 guide in the acquiring of data, it may be a 

 waste of time, an aimless, hopeless, dead effort. 

 Its results may be chaotic, impossible of de- 

 veloping a leading principle or an illuminating 

 fact. 



There is still a quite prevalent idea that the 

 ends of research may be satisfied by the accu- 

 mulation of data. It is a common expression 

 in connection with the status of long-continued 

 experiments that data are being accmnulated. 

 This is especially apt to be the case where 

 such complex conditions and factors are in- 

 volved that the results from year to j'ear are 

 confusing, and it is assumed that these uncon- 

 trolled variables may be eliminated by long 

 repetition. In such eases there is apt to be 

 lack of a critical attitude toward both the 

 method and the data themselves, and hence the 

 test of adequacy or competence is not applied. 

 Data add to the accumulated fund of informa- 

 tion when they are accurate, systematic and 

 orderly, and so capable of enabling deductions 

 or fitting into other supplies which may be 

 so used. Unless they respond to such a test 

 it may well be questioned whether their accumu- 

 lation is profitalsle at this stage, when there 

 is already such a large background. 



