604 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1087 



not need to be buried alive, but will stand 

 an equal chance with their fellows in other 

 departments of science. 



The matter of training for research work 

 has only been alluded to indirectly but I 

 have assumed as self-evident that only the 

 best kind of training suffices for the high- 

 est type of research. Charlatans are found 

 in every department of science and admin- 

 istrators of research funds must be on their 

 guard against their plausible but evanescent 

 schemes. Men of this class are usually 

 much better talkers than experimenters. 



Having pointed out some of the weak- 

 nesses in research work of our agricultural 

 experiment stations, I would like to offer a 

 suggestion that might prove beneficial. In 

 my opinion there is not enough expert 

 counsel and supervision over the depart- 

 mental work that is being carried on. The 

 work in almost every field of industry is 

 inspected and criticized, some time or other 

 by experts efficiently trained in the depart- 

 ments concerned. No large engineering or 

 construction work could proceed efficiently 

 without expert supervision and oftentimes 

 outside counsel and advice, and I venture 

 to say that if this were secured for the de- 

 partments of the agricultural experiment 

 stations it would do much toward improv- 

 ing the character of the work and giving 

 directors more reliable information regard- 

 ing the work of their departments, in which 

 they themselves are untrained. 



It seems to me that a chemist should 

 inspect the chemical work of a station, a 

 botanist the botanical work, an entomol- 

 ogist the entomological work, and so on. 

 The cost of inspection would thus be' con- 

 siderably higher than at present, but I am 

 inclined to believe that the value to the 

 stations would greatly overbalance this and 

 bring departmental work up to the stand- 

 ard required of them. Incidentally, favor- 

 able reports from technically trained in- 



spectors would greatly influence popular 

 opinion concerning a given piece of work 

 and act as a bulwark to the director in 

 meeting outside criticism. Such inspec- 

 tions would also materially aid in ridding 

 the stations of the superannuated, derelicts 

 and driftwood which are such impediments 

 to progress. 



Another suggestion I should make is that 

 research projects of whatever nature should 

 be passed upon or suggested by a committee 

 of men technically trained in the fields in 

 which the projects are to be launched. It 

 is not to be expected that directors and 

 officials at Washington are competent to 

 judge of the feasibility of a given project 

 for research, especially when it lies oiitside 

 the circumference of their own training. 

 In my opinion such a system would result 

 in much good to the stations and to the 

 people at large. 



To sum up, let me say that the scien- 

 tific research of this country and especially 

 of the agricultural experiment stations, has 

 not yet reached the high standard that is 

 possible of attainment, and that the rea- 

 sons would seem to be the following : a pop- 

 ular disregard or lack of appreciation for 

 research; the encroachment upon the time 

 of the research man by teaching, outside 

 and official work; annoyances and distrac- 

 tions through the business and administra- 

 tive organizations ; the popular demand for 

 practical and control work rather than for 

 the fundamentally scientific. 



These unfavorable conditions could 

 easily be remedied; and then by requiring 

 of the research man a more thorough train- 

 ing, and giving him some reliable counsel, 

 the character of his research work would 

 unquestionably advance. 



Let me close by quoting Director A. C. 

 True's advice, which as seed, I hope, will 

 not fall by the way side, or among thorns, 

 or upon stony ground, but in rich black 



