National Republican., 1885-11-21


planted In 1871 and 1872. This comprises
at out twenty acres and was designed to
include one specimen plant OF every tree
and shrub hardy enough to stand the
climate.
some fifteen years ago a special agent
was employed in Europe to collect every
thing valuable belonging to the citrus fam
ily, and the collection then made has since
been increased by importatiOns from various
countries, including the West Indies, South
America, and Japan. As evidence OF the
value Of the efforts of the department in
this direction he quoted from letter re-
ceved about a year ago, In which the
writer said "Thc Bahia orange sent to Cal
ifornio ten years ago is conceded to be the |
best variety produced In the state. IL is of |
the largest size and finest flavor, and sells |
higher than any other kind. 1t Is worth to |
California all that the department OF agr- |
culture has ever cost the country
Among the numerous plants which have |
been subjects of special attention, he mem
toned the Japan persimmon, which was In
troduced first In 1864, and is now attracting |
attention In localities where 1t succeeds,
and bids fair to become Of considerable
commercial value, ospeciallyin the southern
states.
THE STATISTICAL DIVISION.
In regard to the work Of the statistical
division Mr.. Saunders said
"The statistical work Of the department
has wide range, and includes the indica-
tions Of production before harvest, from
local investigation Of area and condition of
crops, and record Of results afterwards. II
reports the prices on the farm and in the
principal cities, the cost Of transportation
to home and foreign markets, the stocks on
hand, the requirements OF consumption, and
the sources OF supply, as aids In calculating
the probable demand and prices.
ats work includes the collection OF all
facts bearing on production, distribution,
consumption, price, cost, and profit. 1t re-
quircs the consideration Of all official and
commercial records that relate to agricul-
ture or its products; to lands aud their
value; to labor and its wages; to results of
experiments, and the application of theory
and science to practice; to the manufacture
distribution, aud value OF commercial fer
tilZers; 10 any facts that Illustrate rural
economy or tend to Improvement and profit
in rural practice.
"In this work there are engaged the
statistician and sxty.four clerks In the de-
partment; statistical state agents for special
statistical work In the several states;
foreign agent, resident in London, who OBJ
tains information concerning European
products; a corps of correspondents in over
1,S00 counties in the United States, with three
assistants, making force for local observa-
tion and investigation of over 1000 persons,
and including the correspondents of the
state agents, about 10000 persons contrlbut-
ing to this branch of the service.
These correspondents are appointed
with reference to ther facilities for obtain
ing authentic information and their ability
to insure impartiality and accuracy.
"Thcy are informed, monthly, by cir
cular letters, in regard to the specific duty
required, and the answers are returned in
accordance with transmitted instructions,
The acknowledged value Of the accuracy Of
data thus obtained clearly proves the excel
lence of the system adopted"
The aim Of the efforts of this division was
stated to be "to give accurate information
to the producer that will enable him to pro-
tect himself against the decoptions of the
speculator, and guide him to the profitable
distribution of his cropping to avoid as far
as possible glut and low prices, and to
enable him to supply growing and profit
able demands; to show him the cost of
reaching the markets of the world and the
prices prevailing in those markets"
THE CHEMICAL DIVISION.
The work Of the chemical division is di-
rected to the preparation aud dissemination
of information relating to the practical ap-
plication Of the results Of chemical investi-
| cation ofthe natures and properties of sols
| in determining the value of fertilizers as
presented in peat, marls, and other natural
| productions, and their special value to
| special crops; and to all kinds of analyses
| which are most intimately associated with
the progress of agriculture.
Mr. Saunders referred to the investigations
made by the division in reference to the eX
| act specific relations that exist between
| plants and the soil upon which they grow,
and to the interesting results obtained from
| analyses OF grasses, forage plants, and
cereals. 1t has been shown for exam
| pie, he said, that corn has about the same
nutritive value wherever 1t is grown, and
that the chief effect produced by variation
of climate aud soil is in modifying the size
of the kernel and the product per acre
In the case of wheat, on the other hand,
| IL appears that different sections of the
country are characterized by varieties of
grain of peculiar chemical and physical
properties Notably, may be mentioned
the typical varieties of this grain grown in
Oregon, Dakota, and the central portion of
| the country.
Mr.. Saunders stated that as far back as
1851 the Chinese sugar cane, or sorghum,
was subjected to chemical tests which
| showed that to obtain Crystallizable sugar
the plant should be cut at that stage of its
growth when the seeds were thoroughly
| ripened and the leaves had changed color
the expressed juice then yielding over l6
per cent. Of thick sirup which crystalllzed
almost wholly into cane sugar.
Notwithstanding these promising results,
| uuDy ullHCulJCb hCelucu 10 COuHCCl lnClH-
selves with the extraction Of sugar from
the juices Of the cane. For several years
after 1862 the work of experimenting was
continued with more or less Of vigor, still
the production of sugar was spasmodlc and
unsystematlc. About 1873 the department.
by experiments in the laboratory and In the
factory, gave fresh impetus to the work,
encouraged an increased culture Of the plant
by extensively distributing seeds Of i'm
proved varieties in every section Of the
country, which has been the means of fur
nishing valuable information relative to the
sugar value Of the plant In different re-
gioDs and under different climates.
The continued laboratory experiments by
the chemical division contributed to Il bet
ter understanding of the nature Of the sub
stances contained in the juices of the plant,
and to the best methods Of removing those
inimical to crystallizatiOn.
During the past three months notable
advance has been made by this division in
the extraction and manufacture of sugar
from sorghum cane. ThesceXperiments have
shown that the process Of diffusion extracts
nearly all the sugar from the cane and Sc
cures yield from 20 TO 40 per cent. greater
than blythe old method OF crushing
This process consists In cutting the canes
into thin chips and then extracting the
sugar by means of warm water.
The division has also tried the process OF
carbonatation for the clartcatiOn of the
juice, which yields results in every respect
superior TO those furnished by the old
processes, while saving the time and labor
of scumming. From trials OF these pro-
cesses already made II has been demon
strated that the sugar produced in this
country may be increased fully 30 per cent.
without increasing the area under cultiva-
tion. The account of this division was con
cluded with reference to its work in re-
gard to the production Of beet sugar on the
Pacific coast and its investigation on the
adulteratlon of foods
THE DIVISION or BOTANY.
The botanical division was established in
lsO0 IL is charged with the care and en-
largcment Of the herbarium, tho publica
tion Of botanical matter, the determination
of all plants and specimens of plants sent
for name, and all that relates 10 educa-
tional institutions and special workers In
regard to cooperation In botanical science,
- -. ..IA