1!) 
vacant through tho death In July last of the Hon. .7. II. Brigham. Sharing the 
opinion expressed In numerous communications received from members of the 
association, that 11 would be of advantage n> both the Department «>(* Agricul- 
ture and the land-grant institutions were the Lncumbenl of this office a person of 
scientific attainments, personally experienced In scientific work related to agri- 
culture, or having intelligent sympathy therewith, your committee respectfully 
requested of the President of the United States (in whose bands the appoint- 
ment lay i an opportunity to present their views in the premises. A prompt 
and cordial response was made to the request, and on October 1 your com- 
mittee enjoyed a personal interview of most satisfactory character with the 
President Refraining, as was proper, from suggesting any individual for con- 
sideration, the views of the committee were fully presented, and emphasis was 
laid upon the extremely satisfactory character of the services of Professor Wil- 
lits and President Dahnoy, incumbents of the office in piovious administrations, 
as indicative of the type of man who might with advantage he selected at the 
present juncture. The President granted the committee a most kind and at ton 
tlve hearing and expressed his sympathetic accord with the views presented. 
Your committee is abundantly satisfied that, so far as other necessary consider- 
ations will permit, the President will gladly meet the wishes of the association 
as expressed through your committee in making this appointment 
Numerous matters of detail, concerning which no report is necessary, have 
received the attention of your committee during the year. Proper representa- 
tions were made as directed to the Secretary of Agriculture concerning the 
desire of the association that the Experiment Station Record should contain, 
more generally, brief extracts as well as titles of the publications of foreign 
agricultural experiment stations and kindred institutions, and the importance 
id' appropriations for extending the work of the Department in the line of rural 
engineering. 
The funds of the association have been economically administered, and the 
report of the treasurer will show a satisfactory balance in the treasury, with 
no outstanding obligations. 
It is with sincere sorrow that your committee makes official record of the 
death on October 1. 1904, of Maj. Henry E. Alvord. one of the founders of this 
association, a former president and for many years the able and efficient chair- 
man of its executive committee. The association will no doubt be moved to 
express in suitable manner its regret for this sad occurrence, and its apprecia- 
tion of the character and services of its late honored member. 
H. C. White, Chairman. 
On motion of PI. P. Armsby, of Pennsylvania, the report was accepted, and the 
executive committee was instructed to arrange for the discussion of the subject 
of relations of the stations with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, raised by 
this report, in connection with the report on cooperation (see p. 62). 
On motion of II. C. White, the request of members of the association, previ- 
ously constituting the section on horticulture and botany under the old arrange- 
ment, to be allowed to form a division for horticulture and botany in one of the 
sections of the association, was referred to the section on experiment station 
work. 
Report of Treasurer. 
The report of the treasurer was read, as follows: 
Report <>f treasurer of the association, November 17, 1903, to October SI, 190). 
RECEIPTS. 
Amount on hand November 17, 1903 $263. 26 
Amount received from dues 1,525.00 
Amount received from National Association of State Universities for 
services of the joint agent of the passenger associations at Des 
Moines G. 00 
Total 1, 794. 2G 
