1910.] State Aid for Agricultural Research. 657 



at one central institution for the whoie country, but when 

 methods of prevention and remedy come into the question, 

 and this is more especially the case with plant diseases, local 

 study is essential. The breeding of new plants is to a certain 

 extent a local problem, for different qualities are required in 

 different districts. Questions bearing on the cultivation and 

 profitable treatment of soil are usually of a local character. 



Apart from the character of the work to be done there are 

 strong reasons for developing research, as educational work 

 has already been developed, at local centres throughout the 

 country. In the first place we must remember that what is 

 required of investigators aided by the State is not only that 

 their researches shall add to existing knowledge, but that this 

 new knowledge should be translated into practice by farmers. 

 Scientific work, however satisfactory from an academic stand- 

 point, is incomplete work from the point of view of the 

 development of agriculture until the farmer is reached by it. 

 Theoretically a principle discovered in Germany or the 

 United States should at once, through our agricultural colleges 

 and schools, reach the farmer in any part of Britain. But 

 there is little energy to be got out of reflected light, and the 

 enthusiasm of farmers cannot be aroused over foreign work. 

 Had it been otherwise it is not likely that we should now have 

 had so many resolutions from associations of progressive 

 agriculturists asking that money shall be spent on research, 

 for the volume of agricultural research in progress in foreign 

 countries is very great. Owing to the difficulty of influencing 

 an agricultural community at a distance, Mr. Middleton 

 regards it as unlikely that one central station would be satis- 

 factory in England. 



In considering the location of research note must be taken in 

 the next place of its effects on teaching institutions. There 

 can be no question that if these institutions shared in the funds 

 intended for research purposes their efficiency from the educa- 

 tional standpoint would be greatly increased. It is now 

 ! generally admitted that no institution engaged in higher 

 i instruction can be in a healthy condition unless some, at least, 

 : of the staff are themselves students engaged in original work. 



On this point there has been a marked change in English 

 I opinion in the last ten years. This change was commented 



1 - 



