Leon Merrill directed the University of Maine’s Agricultural Extension Service for 20 years. In 1911, he was appointed dean of UMaine’s College of Agriculture, a position he held until his death. Merrill formulated the policies of the Extension Service and established relationships with the farming community and the various other organizations in the agricultural field. Under his direction, the Extension Service grew to a key position in the agricultural life of Maine. In 1922, he received an honorary Sci.D. from UMaine.