394 



Agricultural Research. 



[OCT., 



correspondence, lectures, field and' other practical demonstra- 

 tions, exhibits, &c, the results of station work will be but 

 slowly incorporated in general farm practice. Great care 

 should be taken in the preparation of station reports and 

 bulletins so that they will contain clear and adequate state- 

 ments of the work accomplished and its practical results. 

 Illustrations should be liberally used. This will require that 

 the staff shall contain at least one man of editorial ability 

 and in the case of the larger stations, it will be well to employ 

 a trained editor. 



The broad functions of the stations make it very desirable 

 that not only the needs of its scientific work should be con- 

 sidered in organising its staff and employees, but also what is 

 required to make its popular work thoroughly effective. The 

 station investigator cannot do his best work if he is required 

 to do any considerable amount of routine teaching or popular 

 lecturing. He may well, however, be given the opportunity 

 to explain his work and its results to advanced students in 

 agriculture, and in certain cases to important assemblies of 

 representative farmers. To supply the just demand for a 

 wider oral dissemination of information by the experiment 

 stations there should be connected with the stations, or better 

 still with the agricultural colleges and schools, men specially 

 qualified by training and experience to address farmers on 

 the work of the stations, make practical demonstrations of 

 the results of station work, and otherwise spread useful new 

 information among the agricultural people. 



The director of the station should also make a broad study 

 of his own and other agricultural regions and of the problems 

 needing further investigation. He should represent the station 

 before important assemblies where the interests of agriculture 

 are being considered and be honoured and respected by all 

 intelligent people as a wise and safe leader in the cause of 

 agricultural progress. 



With the rapid growth of public appreciation of the benefits 

 of scientific research in lines relating to the arts and industries, 

 we <hould be encouraged to give the agricultural experiment 

 stations a broader and more thorough organisation, and to 

 make their researches regarding the numerous unsolved 

 problems of agriculture more complete and effective. 



