xiv Ma NE Agricultural Experiment Station. 



project from the start was a large one and has been a constant- 

 ly increasing one. Doctor Pearl felt the need of people that 

 he knew and whose judgment he could rely upon to immedi- 

 ately assist him. This resulted in the Food Administration 

 asking that the Station release for the period of the war Doctor 

 Frank M. Surface, biologist to the Station and Mr. John Rice 

 Miner, Computer in the Biological Department of the Station. 

 Leaves of absence for the period of the war without salary were 

 granted Doctors Pearl and Surface and Mr. Miner. They went 

 to Washington the last of June, 191 7. Expert clerical help 

 was needed. The salaries offered were greatly in excess of what 

 the Station could afford. This resulted in the two long exper- 

 ienced clerks, Miss Pooler and Miss Fayle, resigning from the 

 Station and accepting positions with the Food Administration 

 at Washington. After licensing of food manufacturers and 

 dealers was adopted as a war measure the Food Administration 

 needed to take charge of one of its divisions a man educated as 

 a chemist and experienced both from the field and office stand- 

 point with food inspection. For this work they chose Mr. Her- 

 man H. Hanson who had been associated as chemist with the 

 work of this Station for many years. Leave of absence for 

 the period of the war without salary was granted Mr. Hanson 

 and he went to Washington in December. 



Very soon after the declaration of war a meeting was called 

 at the office of the Commissioner of Agriculture at Augusta to 

 consider what could be done to promote agricultural production 

 in Maine. After discussion at a morning meeting a committee 

 vv^as appointed to draw up a line of action to submit to the after- 

 noon session. At the afternoon session the program as sug- 

 gested by the committee was adopted and the committ:e was 

 instructed to bring the whole matter to the attention of the 

 Executive Committee of Public Safety. The Executive Com- 

 mittee adopted the plan, named ]\Ir. Donald Snow of the Execu- 

 tive Committee as Chairman of the Maine Public Safety 

 Committee on Food Production and Conservation. The Director 

 of this Station was named as o::e of the other 7 members. This 

 committee has met almost Aveekly and directly and through 

 committees appointed by it has planned and coordinated the 

 efforts made during the past year to increase the production 

 and the conservation of food. This has taken about 20 per cent 

 of the time of the Director since May, 1917. 



