The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-30

We DuDllSncu yeStciuhy ~" "S'A*~s " s"S ~.@sAAN'
report OF Mr.. Capron, the Commissioner OF Agricu'
ure Az Inc subject is OF the highest interest to the
great majority OF the people OF the United States we
o,ve to-day the most important portions Of the re-
mort ia in az follows:-
DEPARTMENT or AGRICULTURE, / .
WASHINGTON, d. o., Dec. l, 1870.
SIR-In submitting the ninth report OF the Com
missioner OF Agriculture have the qualification or
representing prosperous and productive In high
degree the foundation interest OF the country the
source or supply OF the physical wants OF all classes.
aud nursery OF energy and virtue for the equally
essential recuperaon o. the less healthy pursuits Of
lle from their waste and enervation.
The season has been one calculated to test Sc
verey the capabilities oil our soils. ON the eastern
= critical period wqe followed by 4 heightened
drought, and throughout u large area OF other sec
lions Of the country na'issal elevation 81 TEMPER
tatien OF rain, seriously afectlng the vitality OF
plants weakened by starvation. shallow culture
oyerprOwlDg weeds or grasses or imperfect drain
are Local decrease OF small grains mas resulted
from these causes counterbalanced in part by local
compensatons from climate or other influences;
vel the erect OF high temperature has been SO
duciye 10 the oYtn OIL maize. the most valuable
crop in our arabic culture, the element
not only OF the breadstuffs but or the meat produe
ton OF The country, that the material Tor food sup
plies OF the year Ii greater than usual.
The fact OF increased production, In season re-
mar6abe for excessive heat In country assumed
TO be liable 10 injurious extremes OF temperature
and seasons OF continued arldty affords strong evil
dencc OF the available depth and fertility OF our ara
BILE lands. Tie local dninutiOn OF yield enfOrces
many a lesson OF needed Improvement in the
drainage, communion ana amelioration CT imper-
An examination in detail OF the facts OF this years.
productisn IN the light OF enlightened agricultural
experience and OF science applied 10 huSbandy,
would furnish hints to improvement anu aids to
progress which, II adopted generally, would in-
crease the present value Of farm production to the
extent OF $500 000,UOo. IL would do n0re--it would
tend TO the increase OF the fertility OF the soil, winch
now In nine farms out OF ten, IL annually decrea
ing, and it would proporiionaby advance Its IN
trinslc IS well as market value
1t il gratifying to behere, rom lndubitable EVIL
dence, the examples OF rational and recuperative
culture are relatively increasing, however slowly,
and gradually making inioads upon the destructive,
irrational modes go generally prevalent. These ex-
amples are most numerous in the Middle States; are
seen with comparative frequency In the older Sec
tons OF the West; are found occasionally In New
England, aud beginning to be noted In the
southern States; ba, tnere is no State In which cx
haustive and irrational culture Is not pred omnant.
While the cost OF good land Is less than the interest
on It's intrinsic value ana It's yearly income may be
enhanced at the expense Of the permanent invest
ment there Is little hope that present necessity or
short sighted greed will fail 10 work its impoveIish-
ment; but with nigh prices both OF land and labor
1t is more than folly to expect remuneratiye profits
from uIlsy stematic and unscienti1c culture.
The grower OF tobacco, turning out his Old fields
TO sedge and poverty grass with the full convic
ton that his crop is Inevitably destructive to fer
tility, has now an occasional opportunity 10 learn
that heavy yields may not be inconsistent with an-
nuai Improvement. oe.s
the waning productions o. his fair fields, can turn
60 the example Of progressive neighbor and wit
ness the Old munlncence returning through the ave-
nue. Of systematic rotation.
In Illinois the specialist in wheat, taught wisdom
BY many lessons OF experience and observation Ia
rapidly learning that prairie soils may be enriched
by alterations OF grass and ROOFS with corn and
wheat, all eXcent thg wheat being converted into
meat, mix, buter, cneese &C., upon he farm.
And cotton growers are learning that with 8
pericc,,nu n an some Of ,ne r.cness lands Of IN
world Tor It's cutly atom, their section has grow
poorer with its continned culture, and can nowhcr
show valley SO rePe's WITH al the elements
with grass and fecked with cattle. Profitable a
cotton may be, aud rich as the best Southern soil
surely are, its culture as special crop apart non
suitable alternating growths, VIII ultimately r sui
In poverty and balrenness.
The enlightened agricultural economist IN de
precating exclusive special culture whether Of cot
tsn wheat or other crops, objects 70 the irrational
mode OF cultivation and not to the amount OF pro-
auction-inveighs not against surplus put opposes
practice reprehelsble and rulnous, which tends
directly and speedily to deeat the object Of culture
ana beilCle the rewards OF labor.
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.
The organization OF Industrial colleges, under the
land grant of Congress OF 1892 clroniced IN recon
annual reports OF this department, has progressed
during the past year. The ohio College has beer
located in the vicinity OF Columbus, with fund O.
nearly hall million OF dollars IRON proceeds o
lands and donation OF 100000 from Franklin
county. The Missouri Institution has also been or
ganlzed In Boone county, with local aonaigns ex
located under the Congressional grant Col
leges had previously been orgaaized. or de
partfnents OF agriculture added to exis
mont, Massacnuset,s, Rnode island. Connection
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, MARYLAND
West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin
Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and California. Nebrask
Is now perIectiug an organization and other State
may nave take steps IN that direction, OF which Il
official or other information has been received.
The land scrip has been issued to most OF TN
Southern States, and portion OF 1t has been solo
but have heard OF no acton toward 0rganlzatio
of colleges. aud fear thar the scrip has, In som
instances, been frttcred away by sales at nomins
prices, as has been the case in many Of the NORTH
and Eastern States Ii Is 10 be regretted LlH
restrictions against sales AT lower than government
rates had not been imposed upon the trustees
better still TO have required the actual location
these lands, which would inevitably have resulted
larger income from rentals or subsequent sales. Tn
moro Western States all pursued tlls course, with
fair prospect or realizing five dollars per acre II
stead Of fifty TO seventy 1--we cents
am confident that these Institutions are destine
to become a vital power IN the land, which college
weighted with curriculum OF studies OF classics
ages can never exert; but 1T Will be many years bt
fore their best fruits Will begin to appear and man
mistakes win be made (some OF them, possibly, Al
most fatal in their characterj misconceptions OF til
sphere OF their highest utility will occur and theft
cheney Will undoubtedly mar the beauty OF their praC
ucal results; but ultimately, when the grand idea o
practical education III America shall be fully crys
tallized. ana their faculties shall DO composed 0
tltuIlons and under the influence of higher progress
sion In physical and practical science then their tr
utility ana benencent Influences Will begin TO ap
pear.
would respectfully suggest the importance OF al
authorization by Congress OF a commission, unde
the direction OF this department, to examine mi
nuGely the plan OF organization, the construction
buildings, management OF grounds, and genera
workings OF the industrial colleges organized unde
the Congressional land grant, With Instructions Il
report to the next Congress fol the information OF h
country ana the benefit OF institutions Of sinila
character yet TO be organized.
STEAM PL0UGHIEG
The inventive mind Of the country Is strongl
stimulated with the nope OF educing dstinctivei,
American machine, better adapted TO the peculia
necessities Of our agriculture than the most success
full foreign apparatus. The annual for 1859 con
tained descriptions and Illustrations OF several pa
tents OF that year. and the volume for 1870 will shoy
that these efforts have been continued during IN
present year. 1t Is to be regretted that 80 man
still adhere to the impraccable idea OF locomotlv
traction. The reports OF the actual work Of the hv
steam pl0ughs, III operation In this country,
extremely favorable 70 the idea OF ultimate success
In the solution orhe problem OF steam in ploughini
asan adjunct OF our agriculture.
SILK CULTURE
Silk culture in California has been attended with
great success up TO the present time, silk cultursts
Claiming That the climate OF that State Is peculiarly
adapted TO the rearing OF silk worms on account oil