The Department of Agronomy was established in 1916 as part of the Faculty of Agriculture. It was responsible for research and education in the agricultural economy related to field crops, soil and fertilizers. The first two members of the Department were Leonard Klinck, also Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, and P.A. Boving, who became Department chair in 1917 and retained the post until 1930. During 1916 and 1917, the Department cultivated a small portion of campus land for experimental work. In 1917, the first course, Agronomy 1, was offered and several short courses for the community and returning war veterans. By 1919, the Department had developed a full range of courses leading to a Bachelor's Degree. In 1930, G.G. Moe replaced Boving as Department Chair and retained the post until 1954. During its early years, the Department concentrated much of its efforts on public education and outreach. However, during the late 1920s and early 1930s, it suffered from substantial budget cuts because it was seen to have little relevance to average farmers by provincial legislators. Recovery from these setbacks began in 1933 with the cooperative efforts of the Provincial and Federal Departments of Agriculture, which led to many joint Department-government projects, such as research on seed development and the Dominion Experimental Farms. The Department was disbanded in 1955 when the Faculty of Agriculture was reorganized. Its functions of teaching plant and soil science were split between the Plant Science Division and the Soil Science Department.