increasingly useful to those for whom it was established, namely, the educators of this country; to make of it a veritable bureau of information on educational topics. Especially does he wish to make it of greater service to the institutions represented in this association, and to that end he invites criticisms and suggestions for the betterment of its work. Having been connected for some years with one of the institutions belonging to this association, he is, naturally, deeply interested in the work being done by you, and he trusts that all of you will feel free to apply to him for any information that he may be able to give or that he may be able to obtain for you. In turn, he requests that he be furnished promptly, either by means of correspondence or through printed matter, with any information that may be of use to other members of this association. In short, he asks for your cooperation in all ways possible to make the Bureau of greater value to yourselves.

It may be added that the Commissioner is particularly impressed with the proposals which have been made from time to time for the extension of the means of helpful cooperation between the Bureau of Education and the landgrant colleges, of which the resolution adopted by this association in 1895 is an example. He is particularly desirous of finding ways in which more information of a helpful character in the prosecution of the work of these colleges may be collected by the Bureau and disseminated in the form of additional publications, and ways in which a more personal and continuous relation may be maintained between the office at Washington and all of the institutions represented in this association.

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION UNDER GOVERNMENT AUSPICES.

H. P. Armsby, of Pennsylvania, offered the following resolution, which was referred to the executive committee:

Resolved, That there be appointed by the incoming president of this association a commission consisting of five persons, two representing the research efforts of this association, one representing the United States Department of Agriculture, and two representative scientific men not connected with official agricultural investigation, the duty of which shall be to inquire into and report to this association the organization and policy that in the opinion of the commission should prevail in the expenditure of public money provided for scientific experimentation and research in the interests of agriculture, to the end that such funds shall be applied in the most economical, efficient, and worthy manner to the production of results of permanent value. (For discussion, see p. 62.) The convention then adjourned until 7.30 p. m.

EVENING SESSION, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1906.

The convention was called to order at 8 p. m., President M. II. Buckham presiding.

INVITATIONS.

T. D. Boyd and W. R. Dodson, of Louisiana, invited the members of the association to visit the Louisiana State University and the experiment stations. W. H. Jordan, of New York, invited the next graduate school to hold its sessions at Cornell University and Geneva.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

L. H. Bailey, of New York, on nomination of C. F. Curtiss, of Iowa, was elected president of the association. T. D. Boyd, of Louisiana, was nominated and elected first vice-president; M. A. Scovell, of Kentucky, second vicepresident; B. C. Buffum, of Wyoming, third vice-president; R. W. Stimson, of Connecticut, fourth vice-president; and C. G. Hopkins, of Illinois, fifth vicepresident; J. L. Hills, of Vermont, secretary-treasurer; and A. C. True, of the Office of Experiment Stations, bibliographer.

The association then adjourned until Friday morning, November 16, 1906.

MORNING SESSION, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1906.

The convention was called to order at 9.30 a. m., President M. H. Buckham presiding.

INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS FOR LAND-GRANT COLLEGES.

H. J. Wheeler, of Rhode Island, presented the following resolution : Whereas since the passage of the Morrill Act of 1890 no further Federal grants have been made for agricultural and mechanical education, notwithstanding the crying needs for such additional support: Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the executive committee of this association be authorized to cause to be introduced in Congress a measure drawn on the same general lines as the Morrill Act of 1890, providing for an increased appropriation for each of the land-grant colleges.

On motion seconded, the resolution was adopted without objection.

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION UNDER GOVERNMENT AUSPICES.

The resolution of H. P. Armsby, given on page 61, was then taken up for consideration.

H. P. ARMSBY, of Pennsylvania. I think the purpose of the resolution is thoroughly obvious. What is contemplated by it is simply to inquire into the existing conditions with a view of seeing whether any better or more systematic organization, any better definition of the functions of the various agencies for research in the interests of agriculture can be reached. There is a great deal of research work carried on outside of the experiment stations and the Department of Agriculture which relates to agricultural progress, and which has never been brought, so far as I know, into any definite relations with this association. The resolution provides, therefore, for the appointment on this commission of two broad scientific men outside of the members of this association, with a view of bringing our agricultural forces into closer relation with the work of this association. The resolution provides that the commission shall be appointed by the incoming president in order that those who may make up the commission may be appointed after serious consideration. Such a commission should be appointed only after a great deal of consideration and ought not to be loaded upon the retiring president after the close of a convention like this. I certainly hope that the convention will take this proposition under serious consideration, and should it see fit to authorize the appointment of such a commission I will feel that a step has been taken in the right direction, even though it may take two or three years for the consideration of the problems which will confront the commission.

C. F. CURTISS, of Iowa. My understanding of this resolution as it has been stated by Director Armsby is that it involves a very important step, and I think it ought to have very careful consideration before the association commits itself to this policy. I question whether we know enough about the plan or not. So far as the object and purposes of the commission, as stated in the resolution, are concerned, relating to the experiment stations represented in this association, it occurs to me that the Office of Experiment Stations already performs that function. I do not know just why another agency should be created to perform the same functions that the Office of Experiment Stations is now performing. Perhaps, however, this commission should have a wider scope than that. There are a good many questions involved in this, and I doubt if the members of the association have given it yet the careful consideration that should be given a question of this kind. The proposition is rather indefinite. It has been suggested that a com

I should like to see it more clearly defined.

mission of this kind would probably have to serve two or three years. A part of the membership of this commission is to come from outside of this association and outside of the Department of Agriculture. It is probable that a commission of this kind that would give serious consideration to these questions might involve the association in considerable expense, and I believe all these matters ought to be considered before we enter into this plan. I believe that we should defer this matter for at least one year in order that we may give the matter more mature consideration.

W. H. JORDAN, of New York. This resolution is certainly one of the most important that has ever been offered before this association, and I fully agree with the last gentleman speaking that it should receive mature deliberation. I am convinced, however, that this body of men is sufficiently conversant with the situation that has faced us for so many years to apply mature judgment to this matter at this time. I trust, therefore, that the resolution to lay this subject on the table for one year will not prevail.

Careful and well-informed observers are united, I believe, in the conviction that we have reached a turning point in the development of agricultural science in this country. Up to this time the work of the colleges and stations and the efforts of our National Department of Agriculture have been largely devoted to the exploitation of existing knowledge and to dealing with mere economic relations. Some real research work has been undertaken and important results have been reached, but our main effort has been that of adjustment of scientific truth to agricultural practice. But the time has come when we begin to feel, as never before, the great need of enlarging the boundaries of knowledge, and now we face several important questions, some of which have lain in our minds for a long time.

It can not be said that public funds are now being applied to agricultural research in accordance with any broad, well-defined policy. Since 1868 we have been feeling our way-development has been more or less a pushing out into untried fields under conditions that were new. Now we have a basis of experience.

Several questions confront us. We are not quite sure, I think-indeed we have some doubt whether it is so that agricultural research is maintained in this country in an environment that is favorable to permanent results of a high character. Are our relations to Government control what they should be? Have we full scientific liberty? Is it desirable to combine within the activities of the same individual the work of research and of exploitation? Is there a proper adjustment between the various agencies that are active within the agricultural field? Do the results of so-called agricultural research command the respect of scientific workers in other fields, and if not, why not? Have we a desirable unity in the movements of science in this country? Some of these questions should be answered, and in an intelligent way.

I can see no harm in such a commission as is proposed; indeed, I anticipate great good from its deliberations. This association should seek all the information it can get. Certainly the rights and status of individual institutions are not in any way menaced by the proposed inquiry.

Of course, such a commision has no authority beyond that which comes from the character and standing of the men who compose it, and any report which it may make will not have a binding quality but will simply be advisory in its character.

K. L. BUTTERFIELD, of Massachusetts. It seems to me that the suggestion made by Director Armsby and that made by Director Jordan are entirely satisfactory, and that the aim of the resolution is worthy of the support of this

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body. I can not help asking the question, however, why the aims can not be met by our own committee on experiment station work, instructing them to engage in conferences with such outside men as are designated in this resolution? It seems to me that it is within the province of our committee on experiment station work to take up just such questions as this, and if it is desirable to confer with the agencies that are doing scientific work, they should have the authority to do so. I think it may be made a part of their work.

W. H. JORDAN. I would say that such a scope of inquiry is quite outside of the duties of a committee of merely a section of this association.

E. DAVENPORT, of Illinois. It seems to me that the matter stands like this: From the very nature of the case no report that could be made by any committee of this association, no matter how it might be handled, would have the standing in the world of science that a report from an independent commission would have. This committee of ours no doubt could do things that might be satisfactory to the experiment station people. We may be able to obtain a satisfactory report from this committee to us, but how would the report be received by the scientific world at large? It seems to me that we have reached

a point where we are asking what agricultural science is going to be. We were utterly ignored for a long time, then we were tolerated, and we are coming now to enjoy some of the symptoms of respectability in the educational world, and, to some extent, in the scientific world. Now, it seems that within the last five years almost anything relating to agricultural research has been a thing to conjure with. But we are standing on dangerous ground. There will be a day of reckoning with us if we are not careful. Such a resolution as this would have been absurd ten years ago, but it will be too late if we wait ten years longer. I feel extremely anxious to have this matter settled in the best way, but before we put up much more for agricultural research is it not well to ask ourselves whether the work is being done in the best way? A tremendous amount of work has been done in this country; but we have been doing primary work, and it must progress very much further along scientific lines if we expect to hold the position that belongs to us.

L. H. BAILEY, of New York. In my own work I find myself inclined more and more to refer large questions of policy to persons who are outside our work entirely if they have been scientifically trained and have had to do with public policy questions. Not long ago a question of policy for the College of Agriculture was laid before the deans of the different colleges. It was a help and relief, of course, to secure the points of view of competent men with a different orientation to the subject. It seems to me that we are in the process of gradually eliminating departmental science. Agricultural research is going to take its place with other research and to be regarded as a part of the body of science. I am afraid that we are in danger of becoming somewhat prejudiced in our own point of view, and perhaps somewhat superficial. I am wondering whether the time has not come when we ought to coordinate our agricultural work with the whole body of human science and knowledge. Outside the agricultural colleges there is much work of a research character that has distinct agricultural bearings, although not labeled as such. Some of the institutions that have no agricultural departments are, nevertheless, doing work that we, as agricultural investigators, should be thoroughly conversant with. In the subject before us we have a question of large public policy. If it seems to be wise for any one person or one institution to ask for expert nonpartisan advice from those outside, I do not see why it is not equally wise for this association to ask for such advice. There are three questions to be considered: First, the selection of the commission; second, the funds to maintain it; third, the work that it is designed to do. So far as the

last proposition is concerned, taking them in their inverse order, I should be inclined to leave the whole matter in abeyance. All we are called on to do is to appoint the commission, and not to instruct it. If the commission is formed. it will soon begin to work, and its plans will formulate as the work goes on. Possibly a year from now the commission may have specific recommendations to make to this association. If such recommendations call for appropriations, the matter can be taken up then. The constitution of such a commission is a most important question. I should suppose that possibly the most important and useful members of it would be those who do not represent this association as delegates, provided they are men who have high ideals in scientific work and have had experience therein and who have come in touch with questions of public policy. It has been suggested on the floor that this commission would have no power. It seems to me that it will have the greatest power that any commission could have, which is the power coming from the weight of high authority. We are not considering at all an investigation, using that term in its ordinary sense. We merely seek for advice and opinions. This organization has the right always to ask for advice and to ask for the opinion of any person on any subject that comes within its purview; and if this association desires that three or five persons shall be asked specially to give advice, it certainly has the right to do so. When the report of this commission is made, we can determine what we shall do with it. I presume that we should merely print it. If it is a wise report, as we have every reason to expect it will be, it may be sufficient to have it as a part of our minutes for our guidance and discussion. Sooner or later the question will be asked of us what we are accomplishing. Perhaps this commission can give us a judgment as to how much real progress we are making. I should not be suprised if such a report would be a sort of a milestone to measure our progress, whether that progress be much or little. Now that this question is up, it seems to me that we can not afford to miss the opportunity of securing the advice of such a commission for our own help and guidance. Sooner or later we must face the responsibility of review by expert public opinion,

As to the funds, I fancy that none will be needed. The commission will need to meet a few times, but possibly the expense of it can be arranged by the members of the commission. Each member will acquire the facts as he wants them, and the commission will deliberate until it is fully ready to make its report.

W. H. JORDAN. I think if the members of this association will look up what has been done in educational lines they will find that the beginning of many great advances has been made by the appointment of special commissions and studying the reports from them. It seems to me, from my observation, that nothing can be better from a standpoint of the agricultural interests of the country than to have a commission of this sort appointed. I should be very much opposed, however, to the establishment of such a commission without provision for adequate funds.

L. G. CARPENTER, of Colorado. There is a question upon which the association is entitled to further information than it has yet had, and that is, where is the money to come from and how is it to be raised to meet the expenses of this commission. This commission, if it does anything, will require money. Now, we need to know where we can get the money to carry out the object of this commission.

L. H. BAILEY. I venture the prophecy that that commission can be so constituted, its work so undertaken, as to entail practically no expense. I think there are enough public-spirited men in the country who are interested in re