FOREWORD 
The recent advances in the theory and practice of agriculture have come 
almost entirely from scientific research applied to agricultural problems. 
Accumulated results of centuries of painstaking studies have been drawn 
upon , and it has become evident that further improvement in agriculture 
calls for continued investigation of the most accurate and thorough nature. 
The first recognition of the economic value of progress in these investiga¬ 
tions as well as the initial application of theories to practical problems 
comes usually from specialists . Indeed , only in rare instances is the 
significance of the results of scientific research apparent to farmers , since 
newly discovered fads are seldom directly applicable to agricultural 
conditions. 
The suggestive or the indirect value of reports of new work is usually 
of paramount economic importance; it is the purpose of the Journal of 
Agricultural Research, therefore , to record investigations bearing directly 
or indirectly upon economic conditions of agriculture. It is hoped that 
permanence of record of new data may be secured by sending the Journal 
in its entirety to special libraries and institutions which make suitable 
exchanges and that a liberal distribution of the reprinted papers to inter¬ 
ested specialists may enhance the usefulness of the separate articles. 
The first few issues will contain papers from the Department of Agri¬ 
culture only. Plans , however , are now being perfected in accordance with 
the tentative suggestions made to the Secretary of Agriculture by the execu¬ 
tive committee of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and 
Experiment Stations so that articles prepared and submitted by investi¬ 
gators in the State agricultural colleges and experiment stations will eventu¬ 
ally be included in the Journal. 
B . T. GALLOWAY, 
Assistant Secretary of Agricidture . 
Washington , D. C., 
October r, 1913. r 
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