Evening star., 1898-12-01
BETTER THAN EVER
Condition Of the Agricultural Expert
ment Stations.
ANNUAL REPORT OF The DIRECTOR
Flagrant Cases of Political Inter
ference Discovered.
FUTURE OF THE WORK

The annual report Of the director Of the
office of experiment stations Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture has been submitted 20
Secretary Wilson. 1t is stated that the
financial condition of the stations is better
than ever before.
nGwr ~ of the stations the farm
and dairy operations are still conducted IN
too expensive scale and with too little
-.D of the real r.. .uirements Of ex-
perimental Inquiries IN agriculture
.'rt SAYS ne numerous changes
in the station staffs recently made are ca
Culated 10 shake faith in the wisdom of
committing the stations so fully to The con
troll Of the local boards. Violent and ut
reasonable changes in one or two stations
tend 10 produce an unsettled feeling among
the whole body of station workers through
out the country. Already there is consid-
cradle sentiment in favor of extending the
functions Of the national government in the
supervision of the stations so far as 10 sa-
cure more permanent tenure of office fer
the Investigators.
The past year has brought out many en-
c"uEaSihS evidences Of the strength of the
stations in the confidence and support Of
the farmers. based on the aid which they
are actually giving to agriculture! enter
pFlses through their experiments and pubIi-
cAJ'AS- me states have in many instances
continued or enlarged the appropriations
gwen by the national government.
Political interference.
some fragrant cases Of political inter
ference in the management Of the stations
ha,e been brought to our attention during
the past wear
The movement for the extension and
popuIarization Of agricultural instruction
Is constantly gaining strength. The short
ana special courses in the colleges the
Farmers Institutes and the home reading
circles have had a larger number of stu
dents than ever before. The effort to in
u &c .-s.tlse teaching into the common
schools has continued To grow not only in
New York where the work - being active
~ prosecuted under the leadership of the
College Of Agriculture. but aIs1 IN other
States
As 10 Americas new possessions the re-
port says:
TIL events of the past year have. in
my Judgment, made IL very desirable that
the question Of the establishment of agri-
cultural schools ard eXperim mt stations in
HdWdn, Porto Rico and other possessfors
"hlth the nlted states may permanently
hcqulF+ IN the near future should be care
fully considered by Congress at its coming
session. and that provision should at leas
D hlaue Tor the thorough investigation OF
the conditions of the population and apri-
culture Of these regions with refara,ce -
the Instability and feasibility of the estab
hShment Of agricultural schools and ex-
pertinent stations in thesa territories II
REQUIRES no argument TO show that agri-
culture will be the leading industry in thasc
issa.-4s Tor many years 1t is well known
that their agriculture has thus far bsen
practiced in accordance with comparatfvaI,.
rude methods and that the education of the
population engaged in agriculture has haan
very limited. There Is every reason to
suppose that the agriculture of these Ter.
r'tories may be vastly developed by the in
PRODUCTION of improved methods and the
education of the people. The Importance of
technical education in agriculture and of
experimental inquiries for the benefit of
this art is now universally acknowledged
notable instance of the recognition of