In the earlier work of the stations variety tests with the different field crops were begun on a more or less extensive scale, and as the results accumulated from year to year the least promising sorts were discarded. After this process of variety selection had begun to show progress, attention was turned toward the improvement of the particular varieties themselves. Systematic studies and methods in variety improvement by means of plant breeding and selection are now followed by over one-half of the stations of the country, and while at some of these institutions the work in this line is still too new to have borne definite results, others during the past five or ten years have made marked progress. As a notable instance of this kind, the corn-improvement work carried on at different stations may be cited. Aside from the improvement in yield the stations have realized the possibility and desirability of improving corn in composition. Results of some very interesting and important work have been reported by the Illinois Station. The purposes in the production of corn were considered and the conclusion reached that, for feeding, the value of the grain would be increased by a higher protein. content, but for the manufacture of oil and allied substances, by a higher oil content. Work along the lines of increasing the protein and oil content of the kernel was taken up and a system of corn breeding has been inaugurated, which is resulting in not only improving standard varieties, but in originating new and improved strains within them. The station has obtained pedigreed corn with 15 per cent of protein in the one line of work, and with 7 per cent of oil in the other; while corn low in these constituents contains only about 10 per cent of protein and about 25 per cent of oil. The results, in general, have shown that the content of either protein, oil, or starch may be increased by systematic breeding and selection. In addition to the work described, the station has devised a method of determining approximately the chemical composition of the corn kernel by a simple mechanical examination, capable of being made with a pocket knife, and has thus placed the work of corn selection and breeding for a higher oil and protein content within the reach of every farmer. The Kansas Station has called attention to the deficiency of protein in commercial seed corn, and for a number of years has worked on the increase of protein in corn by means of crossing varieties and seed selection. The same line of work has been followed by the North Dakota Station, and at both these institutions strains richer in protein have been originated. The North Dakota Station has established a plant-breeding nursery for field crops, and in 1903 something over 50,000 plants of different cereals and forage crops were matured.

Experiments in the methods of cultivating corn have been conducted by most of the stations of the country, and this work more than any

other has shown the advantages of frequent and shallow stirring of the soil in the cornfield.

corn,

The Minnesota Station some years ago originated a new variety of and after testing the same for several years and satisfying itself of its merits, began the systematic distribution of the same, with the result that at present it is grown as one of the standard varieties throughout the southern part of Minnesota, the region for which it was intended. The distinguishing character of this new variety was an increase in yielding capacity, and it is estimated from the reports received that it yields from 4 to 5 bushels more per acre than the varieties for which it was substituted. As another evidence of its value the fact may be cited that the South Dakota Experiment Station is now distributing the variety among the farmers of that State. In the matter of impressing upon the farmer the importance of seedcorn selection and the value of good seed corn, the stations of the corn belt have of recent years been most active and successful. Bulletins on the subject have been published and sent over the respective States, and other methods of disseminating information have been employed. A unique method of bringing the subject before the people was followed by the Iowa Station, assisted in its efforts by some of the railroads crossing the State, and supported by the agricultural press and agricultural associations. A special train known as the "seed-corn special" was run for the purpose of giving instruction in selecting, testing, and planting seed corn. In eight days this train covered over 1,300 miles in 37 of the 99 counties of the State, and 150 short lectures were delivered by the agronomist of the station to 17,600 hearers. General interest was awakened; the farmer and the business man alike supported and approved of the movement, and the information given out was carried by those who attended the lectures, and also largely by the press, to everyone interested in farming within the State. Similar work has been done by the Nebraska Station.

As another line of work promoted by these same stations may be mentioned the judging of corn in the ear according to a scale of points, or score card. A number of years ago this was unknown. The idea was perfected by the stations, in some instances with the cooperation of seed-growing interests. The different score cards in use have many points in similarity, but an effort has been made to adapt them to the different regions in which they are applied.

Considerable attention has also been given to the improvement of wheat in both yield and quality. New varieties of wheat originated by the Minnesota Station have spread during the last few years throughout the State of Minnesota, and have also found their way to neighboring States. They prove of value for the northwestern wheat section, and are now successfully grown on about half a million

acres, and are estimated to yield from 1 to 2 bushels more per acre than the varieties they are replacing. In quality these new varieties rank with the best Minnesota hard wheat.

The Nebraska and South Dakota stations in the last three or four years have been largely instrumental in the testing and distribution of macaroni wheats introduced by this Department. The Nebraska Station has also directed its efforts toward the adaptation and improvement of winter wheat, and this work has added considerably to the increase in acreage of the crop within the State and to the gradual movement northward of its limit of culture. It has also made considerable progress in breeding wheats of higher protein content than those commonly grown.

Along with other stations, the Tennessee Station has shown that the yield and quality of cereal crops, including winter oats, winter barley, and winter rye, can be improved by selection, and that crops of winter cereals are of the greatest benefit to the soil, in addition to being directly profitable under Tennessee conditions.

A vast amount of work has been done by the stations during the past ten years in the introduction, testing, and improvement of forage crops, and the value of the results can not be overestimated. The stations in the semiarid regions, where this kind of work was mostly needed, have been most prominent in the movement. The Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas stations have tested numerous varieties of nonsaccharine sorghums, the principal one among them being Kafir corn, which has become a standard forage crop in many parts of the dry regions. The work with the cowpea has also been of incalculable benefit, especially in the Southern States, where the crop grows most successfully. The Arkansas Experiment Station has been a leader in this line, and has pointed out the value of the cowpea as a land renovator and a rotation and forage crop. Breeding experiments have also been made and a number of promising selections and crosses have resulted. Timothy breeding is being followed at the Minnesota, West Virginia, and New York Cornell stations. At the last mentioned institution seed was secured from different parts of this country and also from foreign countries. Seedling plants were grown in the greenhouse, and at present about 12,000 seedling plants are grown on timothy breeding plats. The plants were planted singly and the bunches produced from them only one year after transplanting already show great variations.

The stations in the cotton-growing States have disseminated much useful information regarding the culture of cotton and the use of fertilizers in this connection, and have also worked along the line of improving varieties in yield, earliness, and staple by means of crossing and selection. The breeding of early varieties has recently

aroused renewed interest on account of the importance of earliness in reducing the ravages of the boll weevil, the late-maturing cottons being much more subject to its attacks.

Another striking illustration of the value of experiment station work through a series of years may be found in the culture and variety tests with sugar beets. The progress made in the past ten or twelve years in the culture of this crop has made beet-sugar production a permanent agricultural industry in this country, and a very important factor in pointing out the possibilities and in determining the sections of the country in which the industry could be profitably established has been the work with the sugar beet at the different experiment stations.

Along the different lines of field-crop breeding at the Minnesota Station the work with flax has reached the stage where it can be made directly available and beneficial to the flax growers of the State. This station has at present about 1,200 bushels of pedigreed flaxseed of a new variety, known as the "Premost " flax, ready for distribution to farmers and seed growers who will guarantee to grow for seed the several bushels of seed allotted to them. This has been the policy of the station in distributing its new varieties, and the plan has proved most successful. The distinguishing feature of the new variety of flax is a much heavier yield of seed than is obtained from the common varieties now generally grown.

NEEDS OF THE STATIONS.

The rapid advance of agricultural research in this country and the large application of some of the results of the investigations of the stations to the betterment of our agricultural practice have made the public mind so favorable to the extension of the funds and work of the stations that there is little difficulty in securing the money needed to develop their work. The great difficulty at present is to form in the public mind an accurate conception of the proper functions of the stations and prevent the hampering of their researches by the imposition of burdensome duties which tend to divert them from their legitimate field and weaken their efforts to gain new knowledge for the benefit of agriculture. As long as this is true it will be necessary to keep problems relating to the organization of the stations prominently in view. This necessity is evidently being more clearly recognized by the station directors and workers, so that we find them discussing these problems very earnestly both in their local councils and in the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations. It is very important that this discussion should engage the attention of a wider circle and include not only the boards of control of the stations, but also the State officers and legislators, who are called upon to provide additional funds for their use,

as well as the great body of intelligent farmers, who are looking to the stations for practical advice and assistance.

Unless the leaders of public opinion on agricultural affairs can be brought to recognize the proper functions and the desirable limitations of institutions devoted to agricultural research, it will be impracticable to secure for the stations that freedom of investigation which is essential to the best and most enduring results. It is for this reason that we insist so strongly that the stations should everywhere be organized primarily and chiefly as research institutions, and that they should be relieved of duties which do not relate directly to research or which interfere with its orderly and continuous progress. We shall have gained a great advantage when the public clearly recognizes the stations as research institutions and does not expect them to turn aside from this work. While there has been advance along this line, we have not yet reached a point where the functions of the stations are generally differentiated in the publie mind from those of the agricultural colleges, farmers' institutes, inspection bureaus, and other agencies for agricultural advancement.

We urge, therefore, that the station managers and workers shall themselves seek to simplify the organization and work of the stations and make more strenuous efforts to slough off duties which should be performed by other organizations. This does not mean that the stations shall be separated from the agricultural colleges, or that they shall not maintain vital relations with the farmers' institutes and other agencies for the education of our farmers. does, however, involve an organization of the stations under which the investigator shall be so situated that he can plan and carry out thorough investigations as his chief business, with which nothing else will be allowed to interfere. This means that the governing boards and general college officers shall definitely arrange with the station workers that the work of research shall be steadily pursued and that means and facilities shall be provided to make the work effective. Whatever teaching or other duties station workers may properly be called upon to perform shall distinctly have second place, shall be very carefully limited, and shall only be performed when the requirements of the researches in progress have been fully met. When students increase and demands for the services of station workers outside their laboratories multiply, the authorities should not curtail the time of station workers devoted to research, but should turn away students and turn a deaf ear to outside appeals for help rather than weaken the efficiency of the stations. We believe that the time has come when this issue should be squarely met, because our examination of the work of the stations during the past two years has convinced us that while there is a general improvement of the status of the stations, there are still many places where