The daily union., 1856-10-28
THE AGRICULTURAL REPORT OF THE PATENT
OFFlCE.

tura division Of the Patent Office will probably be ready
for distribution in November and that the earnest and
pressing demand for copies from all parts of the country
will then be promptly met II is little later than the
part of the report in its period Of publication
but the circumstances and contingencies connected with its
preparation and passage through the press this
sion appear have been such to render II impossible to
avoid this brief delay
The following communication of the Commissioner Of
Patents to the Speaker of the House of Representatives
forms appropriate introduction this report conoisey
revealing it does on outline of the plan and opera
tions of the office;
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
March 81, 1856
S Agreeaby the design of Congress- indicated by
the appropriation of March 1855, for the collection of
agricultural statistics and the procurement and dstribu
on OF cuttings and seeds have the honor TO transmit
herewith the agricultural portion Of my annual report
Tho operations OF the past year have been conducted in
the same general for the year previous The
method Of procuring and distributing seeds, roots
and cuttings has been continued but arrangements have
now been made by which the annual visit OF agent TO
Europe for the selection and purchase OF those articles will
hereafter be rendered unnecessary.
Through the large and we-known establishments of
Messrs. Vilmorn Andrieux Co., in Paris William Skirv
ing in Liverpool, Charlwood Cummins in London, and
Ernst Won Spreckelsen q Co, at Hamburg, expect
hereafter to obtain any seeds may need selected with
as much care and fidelity though such agent were
despatched each year for the purpose.
The pursued for obtaining most of agicultu
raj statistics though deemed the best that could then be
devised have been far short Of what desired and
much OF the information obtained has been exceedingly
loose aud desultory. To render this information more
complete and reliable, PROJECT to the cooperation
Of the several State and territorial governments has been
in contemplation Some of the States have for several
years past obtained these statistics for their pur
poses with highly satisfactory results In hopes that
Others might be induced to initiate this EXAMPLE and that
the system might be developed far to embrace the
whole UnioD the following circular prepared and ad
dressed to the governors and other prominent individuals
OF the several States and Territories:
The circular here quoted bears date the goth of Febrr
ary 1856, and expresses the confidence of the Commis
soner in the purpose of Congress to continue the policy Of
fostering the agricultural interests of the country by OBJ
tanning statistics well by other MEANS but indicates
the want of general system and of the requisite agencies
and invites the cooperation of the several State and terri
toral governments in the hope that the object sought may
be attained without any considerably increased expense
or the creation of additional Offices. "In of the
States it is remarked the practice has been already in
troduced of annually obtaining statistics Of the kinds sug
gested in the accompanying schedule by making it the
legal duty of the obtain these statistics the
time they making their annual of personal
real property Such statistics will not be precisely
curae but they will be far reliable than estimates
made in any other that practicable and
cannot but be interesting and useful in eminent degree
Every year will add to the accuracy Of these statistics and
of the deductions drawn thererom and every year would
demonstrate their value in still greater degree the ag
rcuura wealth and Importance Of this country become
be useful for the world TO know annually the productions
that are to be found in its chief granary."l
1t hoped that the object sought would be deemed
sufficiently important to each OF the State and territorial
induce them all to take the requisite steps
for procuring and furnishing the desired information,
which could be dgesed and sent abroad through the
nua report of this Office and thus the design of Congress
would be attained in full and complete manner and
with as little cost and trouble as could ever have been
anticipated.
the answers received it regarded as probable
be but
the time when the circular issued nothing definite
could be expected until another year.
The real plan proposed has been fully understood by
of those to whom the circulars addressed Many
OF them have supposed that the information obtained
to be communicated to this Office in ts crude state just
procured by the township throughout the
country whereas the design s that all the statistics of
each State derived from the different local officers
should be fully digesed and consolidated that moth
ing but general aggregates might be furnished to this Of
fee.
In this way the Office would have no great burden
thrown upon IL 1t would be serving merely channel
through which the information, derived from many diff
ferent sources might find its way the world in
pient and ntellgible shape.
1t has been suggested by some that all the important
items of information contemplated in this circular might
be found embraced in the regular returns made
every FIVE ten years. but this does not at all reach the
point in view The great object Is procure reliable Ia,
formation annually In advance OF the census returns and
which be disseminated for the Of the whole
try.
II all the producers and dealers in pork could learn with
reasonable certainty how much slaughtered last year
and how many hogs hand as to be able to in
sttute comparison, in relation to similar facts for pre-
vous years the utility Of such information would be evil
dent The same is true regard to any other agricultural
T mineral product.
II Is hoped that these considerations will present them
selves vorabY 10 the minds Of State and territorial leg
islaors and that long judcious, economical and
weregulated system of this nature may grow into
istence
About the time OF preparing the foregoing circular,
another issued and consuls missionaries and
other persons residing abroad the object OF which to
obtain information relative the production aod
facure Of cotton in foreign countries It was believed
that this information could be collected smRll cost
its procurement would be legitimate and would prove
highly desirable and useful
This measure related merely TO the present but also TO
the probable future II intended show the amount
Of cotton produced in other countries and their adap
aton 10 its future production like course might also
be advanageousy pursued with regard to tobacco and
perhaps Other staples Of this country.
Associated with this subject are the steps which have
been taken 10 obtain statistics OF certain meteorological
facts which vitality connected with agriculture The
degree Of heat cold and moisture in the various localities
and the usual periods Of their occurrence together with
their effects upon different agricultural productions Of
ncalculable importance In searching into the laws by
which the successful growth of such products are regua
ted and will enable us, with degree Of certainty to
Judge where any given article be prohtably cultivated
and whether other countries will be likely TO compete
successfully in Its culture.
Weknow already sufficient in relation TO the meteors
logical facts involved in the question that neither
successful competitors IN the culture OF Indian IL
may very probably be within the reach Of extended
scientific observation and research TO determine whether
cotton and many other Of products can hereafter be
cultivated with success in any OF the other quarters OF the
world.