Miscellaneous. 



256 



[March, 1912. 



with the Director of Agriculture in the 

 Straits with a view to obtain further 

 particulars regarding pineapple cultiv- 

 ation and preservation. 



Statements of Expenditure for Janu- 

 ary and February were tabled, 



Baron Schrottky read his paper en- 

 titled "Indigo Cultivation for Ceylon," 

 which evoked much discussion, in which 

 Sir Hugh Clifford, H. E. the President, 

 Dunuwille Disava and Mr, F. C. Roles 

 took part. The Baron was accorded a 

 hearty vote of thanks for his interest- 

 ing paper. 



C. DRIEBERG, 



Secretary. 



THE FUNCTION AND EFFICIENCY 

 OF THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



(From Science, Vol. XXXIV., No. 884, 

 December 8, 1911.) 



It would be an indication of ingratitude 

 and inappreciation if 1 failed to acknow- 

 ledge at this time the great honour of 

 being elected to preside over your deliber- 

 ations, an honou r commensurate with the 

 distinguished history and eminent use- 

 fulness of this Association. Because it 

 has been my good fortune to attend 

 these meetings from iheir very begin- 

 ning, in addressing you on this occasion 

 I cannot be accused of speaking with- 

 out knowledge and understanding if at 

 first I refer in the spirit of congratul- 

 ation to the benefits of this organization, 

 both for those of us who have parti- 

 cipated in its deliberations and for the 

 institutions which it represents. 



Not the least important outcome of 

 these assemblages are the personal re- 

 lations that have been established. The 

 hand clasp that has spanned a continent 

 has not only made possible the form- 

 ation of friendships that have greatly 

 enriched our lives, but thereby has 

 come a sympathetic touch of labourers 

 in the same held so essential to unity of 

 purpose and understanding. We would 

 all feel impoverished, personally and 

 officially, if there were withdrawn from 

 the sum of our life experiences the bene- 

 ficent results of the intercourse that 

 these meetings have afforded. 



Because we are friends as well as co- 

 workers, we keenly feel the absence from 

 our midst of those who have passed out 

 of life's activities. Two of the best 

 beloved of our long-time associates have 

 entered iuto their final rest during the 

 year that has passed. For many years 

 these gatherings were favoured by the 

 gentle and refined presence of Matthew 

 H. Buckham, who through a long life of 

 activity as an educator exhibited the 

 qualities of a scholar and a gentleman. 



May many rise up with a similar type 

 of mind and character to mould the in- 

 tellect and purposes of coming gener- 

 ations. We shall not forget the kindly 

 spirit, the manly attributes, the single- 

 ness of purpose and the efficient service 

 of Edward B. Voorhees, whose life and 

 activities were on a plane so high that 

 they presented an inspiring example of 

 useful living. The number remaining 

 of those who aided in founding and 

 building these new educational agencies, 

 and who are still in active service is 

 small, and these pioneers in an un- 

 developed field can but feel that they 

 are transferring to " other men and 

 other minds " the abundant fruit of their 

 labours. 



Again, this Association has been an 

 active and most influential agency in 

 augmenting the resources of the in- 

 stitutions from which you come, and 

 in developing and unifying their ad- 

 ministrative and pedagogical methods. 

 Through your accredited representatives 

 an influence, national in scope, has been 

 focused upon legislation. The enlarged 

 financial support of the colleges and 

 stations by the Federal Government 

 could hardly have been secured without 

 your united effort, directed along an 

 authorized channel. You must also 

 recognize very clearly that your annual 

 discussions have been helpful, even 

 essential, to the wise solution of adminis- 

 trative and educational problems. Prob- 

 ably no other influence has been more 

 potent in hastening and shaping the 

 far-reaching readjustment that has 

 been effected during the past few 

 decades in the aims and methods of 

 education, even in our secondary schools, 

 than has the example and propaganda 

 of the institutions arising from the first 

 Morrill Act, an influence to which your 

 deliberations have served to give form 

 and purpose. 



But the main reason for extending 

 congratulations to you at this time 

 is the status and beneficent results 

 of the activities here represented. 

 It would be easy to show the 

 marvellous growth of the equip- 

 ment and work of the land-grant 

 colleges and agricultural experiment 

 stations by the use of statistics that 

 are almost startling in their propor- 

 tions. I shall not resort to this method, 

 however, for you know the facts, and 

 besides, the prominent display of such 

 large figures savours of showy parade or 

 of vainglorious pride. It is enough to 

 say that as a whole these wards of the 

 nation and states are liberally equipped 

 as to buildings, apparatus and funds, 

 with a disposition on the part of the 



