Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-11-07
The Agricultural
Experiment Statiol
Its Object, Duties, and Wha
1t Needs.
BY University Of Arkansas Experiment Station

An agricultural experiment station
Is primarily a research institution;
s~econdarily, II for the dissemination
OF knowledge relative thereto. Its
object is to study the underlying prin.
ciples involved in the sciences of ag
riculture and then TO place the re-
suits Of such study at the disposal Ut
the agricultural profession.
The experiment. station in its func-
ton as a research institution is often
misunderstood. This is because the
term research is an unknown quar-.
tity with a great many people. Two
often a test" is looked upon as being
q piece of research. while in reality
it is something far different. A test
does not yield absolute knowledge,
but places the tester in a frame OF
mind to believe that something is go
ing to happen just because it did once
before. 1t does lot tell him that
something is compelled to take place
il natures energies are properly
brought 10 bear on each other. The
latter is what research does. 1t gives
~ hoL q Io" Ills ooN aiN "'"
penses with the services Of tests,
trials, etc, which occupy time. Tests.
howevSr, have their part to play, aud
will be considered in connection VITA
my treatment OF the dissemination of
useful knowledge.
The idea of research carries with
1t. necessarily, that OF unsolved prob
lenaS, M as the primary function OF
a station is one OF research 1t should
be organized M sustained accord.
ingiy. Investigators Of the highe, It
type are absolutely essentials, as they
are really the foundation upon which
an experiment station rests. Fine
buildings and structures are beautiful
to behold, but they give up no Sc
crets. Good farms will always yield
crops, even under untutored tillage,
as nature is unrelenting with her en-
ergies, but just how and why they
do, she remains silent. How nature
utilities her energies is the problem
for an Investigator so that man car
better take 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 eff
forts to feed his hungry body.
To answer this fundamental re.
| Qufrement OF research the demand TO:
Investigators is becoming greater ev-
cry year. Part of the federal appro-
priation, the Adams fund, can be used
only for the highest grade of research
work, and il the stations efforts do
not measure up to that standard the
fund e to the United States
treasury. 1t behooves colleges to lay
! special stress on the training of in.
y%estigators otherwise the fundament-
al requirement OF the experiment sta
lions will not be answered. To this
end i quote from a recent report BY
the commission en- agricultural re-
search:
Tho development of research eff.
fort i2as not been symmetrical and
logical. Adequately trained men have
he's 20 eNpened in the way of capa
bic investigation the entire amounts
Of national and state appropriations
that have been applied to agricultural
research. This is ,one OF the reasons
why the more difficult agricultural
problems have $50 largely remained
untouched.
"As to this matter, we may quote
from a personal letter of a we'll
known investigator: The demand
for agricultural iresearch has been
greater than the supply of men capa.
be Of carrying O N research On ed,
cat,onal work. The agricultural col
teycs and the agencies OF research
have teen created by law, but the
law cannot create men. The agricu!
t,Ual colleges have developed a con
slider able proportion of undertrained
men, without pOise or sustained judg.
ment, and under these conditions the
personal element enters into the
work of the state and national inst;
'tutioHa, and in the majority of cases
most OF the difficulties arising in the
field n9y be traced to the person;.l
;%eQnnsion Of adequate men"
lit is here that the standards OF
education have a direct and immedt
ate rotation to the quality of research
effort. In those colleges of agricul
Anre In which high educational stand
! ;aEds 'sre maintained the various forms
~ agricultural research are, IN
general, Of high character, CORE,
spending to the more elevated char
ActaH OF the academic Administered
aion. 4 d~ebase,nent of educational
! feas ..zlets With certainty upon the
WORK at s~c!eat.tie inquiry. In these
! MaAiess college authorities are some.
,, tines hslplces IA the face Of uni
formed 3fisiar opinion. which rates
| Tire yahie Of AN institution by the
/. nun hay of names in its catalogue"
The Investigator. after being pro