402 Experimental Work in United States, [oct., 



become in effect a great experiment station, with probably the 

 largest personnel and the most liberal appropriations of any 

 institution of its kind. 



It is divided into a number of bureaux or offices dealing with 

 different classes of agricultural matters, and grants are made to 

 these bureaux, which include not only the salaries of the 

 scientific and administrative staff, but also sums expressly allo- 

 cated to various investigations, or, in some cases, lump sums for 

 research into a number of allied questions, the distribution of 

 the money being left to the discretion of the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture. Thus the Bureau of Plant Industry investigates diseases 

 of plants, undertakes the breeding and selection of new varieties 

 of fruit, cereals and cotton, and also receives separate grants for 

 pomological and botanical investigations, enquiries into grass 

 and forage plants, tea-culture and the growth of sugar beet. In 

 the same way the Bureaux of Forestry, Chemistry, Entomology, 

 Soils, &c., undertake experimental work on matters coming 

 within their scope. In the past, the work has largely had the 

 character of scientific research in the laboratory, as the Depart- 

 ment has only recently acquired an experimental farm. Speaking 

 generally, the Department is strong in laboratory facilities, and 

 has the advantage of the assistance of men who are recognized 

 experts in special subjects, but it possesses very little provision 

 for carrying out experiments on a practical basis or under field 

 conditions. The writer previously quoted points out that this is 

 a wise provision, as the conditions at Washington would be 

 representative of only a small fraction of the country. On the 

 other hand, the local experiment stations are usually strong in 

 their provision for practical work and for the testing of theories 

 on a practical basis. Nearly all of them have farms at their 

 disposal, with experimental fields, orchards and live stock. They 

 have the advantage of a close association with practical farming 

 operations and intimate relations with the farmers. They have, 

 therefore, the real problenis of their districts brought home to 

 them in a variety of ways. 



The Department, however, possesses the advantage of material 

 resources to a far greater extent than the stations. The total 

 income of the fifty-five stations is about ^{^285,000, whereas the 

 vote for the Department (excluding the Weather Bureau) was 



