The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-01-28
SOUTHERN
AGRICULTURE
RESEARCH WORK
Misunderstood.
True Scope Of Governments AerieuI.
tural Experiment Stations Is Not
ThorouahlY Realized.
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An Agricultural Experiment station
Is primarily a research institution;
secondarily. one for the dissemination
OF knowledge relative thereto. IT.
object is to study the underlying prin
ciples involved in the science OF ag
riculture and then TO place the results
OF such study at the disposal of the
agricultural profession.
The experiment station in its f,inc
ton as a research institution, is often
misunderstood. This is because the
term research" Is an unknown guam
tity with a great many people. Two
often test is looked upon as being
a piece OF research. while in reality
It is something FAR different A test
does not yield absolute knowledge,
but places the tester in frame OF
mind TO believe that something is
going TO happen just because 1t did
once before. 1t does not tell him that
something is compelled to take place
II natures energies are properly
brought to bear on each other. The
latter Is what research does. II gives
70 man a law and dispenses with the
services of tests. trials, etc, which
occupy time. Tests. however. have
their part TO play and will be consid-
cred in connection with my treatment
OF the dissemination of useful knowl-
edge.
The idea OF research carries with
II, necessarily, thar of unsolved prob
lens. and as the primary function OF
q station is one Of research, II should
be organized and sustained accord
ingly. Investigators OF the highest
type are absolute essentials, as they
are really the foundation upon which
an experiment station rests. Fine
buildings and structures are beauti-
full to behold. but they give up no Sc
crets. Good farms viii always yield
crops. even under untoutOred tillage.
as nature is unrelenting with her en-
ergies, but Just how and why they do,
she remains silent How nature util-
izes her energies is the problem for
the investigator so that man can
take better advantage OF her re-
sources. To win success his prepare
ton must be of the best Nature is
Just as obstinate in denying man her
secrets as she is untiring in her ef-
forts to feed his hungry body.
Demand for investigators is Growing.
To answer this fundamental re-
quirement of research the demand for
investigators is becoming greater
every year Part of the federal APP
preparation. the Adams fund, can be
used only for the highest grade OF
research work, and II the stations
efforts do not measure up TO that
standard the fund reyerts to the Uni
ted States treasury. II behooves col
leges TO lay special stress on the
training of investigators. otherwise
the fundamental requirement of the
experiment stations will not be an
swered. To this end quote from a
recent report by the Commission on
Agricultural Research:
''The development of research effort
has not been symmetrical and log
ical Adequately trained men have
not been provided in sufficient num-
Der TO expend in the way of capable
investigation the entire amounts OF
national and state appropriations that
have been applied to agricultural re-
search This IS one of the reasons
why the more difficult agricultural
problems have SO largely remained
untouched.
"As TO this matter, we may quote
from a personal letter of we'll
known investigator: The demand for
agricultural research has been great.
or than the supply OF men capable
OF carrying on research or education
al work. The agricultural colleges
aud the agencies of research have
been created by law. but the law
cannot create men. The agricultural
colleges have developed a consider
able proportion Of undetermined men.
without poise or sustained judgment.
and under these conditions the per-
sonal element enters into the work
Of the state and national institutions.
and in the majority of cases most of
the difficulties arising in the field
nay be traced to the personal equa-
ton OF inadequate men"
1T Is here that the standards of
education have a direct and imme-
date relation TO the quality OF re
search effort. In those colleges OF
agriculture in which high educational
standards are maintained, the various
forms of agricultural research are in
general, OF high character, CORE
spending to the more elevated char
acter OF the academic administra-
ion. A debasement of educational
IDEAS reacts with certainty upon the
work OF scientific inquiry In these
...,tara COLLAGE authorities are some