Daily globe., 1883-08-16

Investigations in science for the govern
ment. In many cases the man who has
the most friends, regardless of competency,
has been likely TO gaiu and hold position.
The chances of losing positions are too
great to make them desirable, especially
to persons who dislike political contests.
Frequent changes are fatal to good. long,
continued work. There are already several
indications Of improvements in this par
ticular.
Notwithstanding the large sums of
money expended by our national and state
governments in support of science, con-
sidering its Importance, but small sum
has been appropriated in the interest of
agriculture. Even private gifts have
gone to endow literary colleges,
schools of physical and natural
science, astronomy, observatories, public
libraries and not to endow something
which Is directly intended to improve ag-
riculture. The men like Lawrence, Shelf
field, Smithson, Peabody, Washburn,
Swift, Stevens, are numerous, but not nu-
merous enough. All honor to the noble
names of those who have so generously
contributed to the advancement of science.
Where agriculture thrives there we al
ways find prosperous people. She needs
more trained minds to work in her inter
est. With better thought would come
great and needed improvements IN the
agricultural department of the nation. 1t
lacks stability. The United State geologi-
cal survey receives plenty of money and
so does the coast survey, and they go
quietly on from year to year. The opiu-
ion seems to be too prevalent that few ex-
periments in agriculture are worth trying
unless it be those conducted by chemist.
In connection with the analysis of grasses
taken from various soils, and made at diff
ferent stages of growth, some experiments
should be made in feeding the
same to different kinds of stock.
1t is by no means certain that we know
the best way of
CURING AND PRESERVING HAY,
or the best time to cut some species. We
need comparative analysis of the same
species proven in different climates. The
physicist will yet find in the soil much to
interest him, and there is no doubt a
chance to make discoveries valuable
to agriculture. With regard to the
great Importance of Investigations and
united action concerning the control of
various plaques of cur domestic animals
We should suppose no one would give a
dissenting voice. Some valuable investi-
cations have been made concerning the
cause and nature of these diseases,
among the most interesting of which it
seems are the experiments made
by DR.. Salmon in using en-
attenuated virus for inoculating animals
and inoculating again and again with a
stronger virus those not affected by the
attenuated virus. If the subject of
ANIMAL PLAQUES,
and the means of controlling them were
fully discussed at meetings of this associa-
tion it would tend to allay prejudices, en-
Tighten the minds of our citizens and stim-
ulate our law makers to action. In learn
ing how to economically feed domestic
animals there is great opportunity for
investigation. There is much of interest
and value to be learned in reference to the
causes in fuctuation in weight of animals
which are carefully fed and watered in a
uniform manner.
There is great need Eof continued
and increasing efforts to investigate our
injurious and beneficial insects. There is
especially much need of more investiga-
tion to find better remedies for injurious
insects. Attention to this portion
of the subject cannot fail to meet
with some degree of success. Success
here is sure to raise the gratitude of every
one connected with agriculture. Success
in finding good, cheap and safe remedies
for injurious insects will tend to make
science popular and make endowments for
research much easier and more frequent
than before. I need hardly
to add that he wko finds
honey bees morei hardy, more indus
trious, longer lived, quieter, possessed of
longer tongues, and last but not least, pos
sessed of blunter stings, with less inclina-
ton to use them; he who succeeds in any
and all of these objects is public bene-
factor and entitled to the public gratitude
and the recognition of scientists.
The United States commission on fish
and fisheries is an example of good scien-
tifc work, with prospects of early returns
in the form of an increase in knowl-
edge and large increase in the supply
of fish.
Botanical explorers in every land have
repeatedly and literally contributed
plants of economic importance
to the horticulturists few fruits, but
more especially flowers and foliage plants.
An occasional contribution has been made
to agriculture in the form of plants which
proved to be of value for seeds for
forage or for some other pur-
pose. The idea of securing the
Introduction of some foreign grasses and
test them to ascertain their value appeared
in one of my addresses more than ten
years ago, given before the Northwestern
Dairymen's association. The advice was
given to get grass from Japan, China, Cen
tral Asia, Buenos Ayres, etc.
The cereals and the grasses the world
over are more valuable to man than all
other plants taken together. Vastly more
than half the value to man of all vegetaz
tion belongs to one family, the grasses!
In Great Britain, where much attention is
paid to it, twenty-five or thirty species of
grasses are cultivated. The grass
family is large one, containing
at the least calculation 3,1OO species, and
others raise the number to 1000 or more
species.
One of the pressing wants of agriculture
is experimental farms where the various
kinds of grasses may be grown, so their
relative value may be determined.
Whenever irrigation has been we'll tried
especially on land which is light and well