secure increased endowment of institutions for agricultural research and instruction, and the direction of elaborate agricultural investigations along scientific lines in New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland, 1881-92. He is author of the American sections of "Dairy Farming," and of "Instrumental Drawing for Public Schools"; has contributed a large number of articles to periodicals, and addressed many public meetings and conventions. He had in preparation (1904) "A History of Agriculture from the Earliest Times."
In politics he was an independent Democrat. He believed in hard money, an income tax, and free trade. In religious convictions he was an Episcopalian of the low church type. Among the books which he had found the most helpful, he names history, current magazines (excluding fiction), agricultural literature, and works pertaining to the sciences which are closely related to agriculture.
His choice of a profession was determined by the Civil war, which changed all his plans and prevented him from carrying out his intention of becoming a civil engineer and architect. He traced his first impulse to strive for the prizes of life, to a "desire to share in the great struggle for human freedom in America" together with a natural interest in military affairs. The relative strength of certain influences powerful in his life, he estimates as follows: "First, contact with men in active life; second, school; third, home; fourth, early companionship; fifth, private study." In a review of his life and work he says, as a guide and a caution to young readers, that he has been " too anxious to get on, rather than to make a record in a place; and hence too willing to change place and position for but slight advancement. The stone rolled too much for twenty-five years or more." And his word of advice to these readers is, "Stick! Having got into a place or line of work, where you feel that you can do reasonably well, be patient and contented to stay there, and make a record of time and accomplishment, even at a loss of more rapid advancement by change. Avoid frequent changes of environment and kind of work. Always live within your income, year by year."
In 1904 Mr. Alvord was an official representative of the United States Government at the Worlds Fair in St. Louis and died in that city on the first day of October, 1904.
