The National tribune., 1885-09-10

SEEDS, CROPS AND INSECTS
Are Diligently Studied by Scien-
tific Experts.

the country. is the Agricultural Department.
From the earliest times the tilliug OF the SOIL
has been regarded as the most independent oc-
cupation of the individual and as atfording
standard estimate of the prosperity of the
State As intelligence increases, the methods
of farming are improved, and the Garth en-
riched by fertilizers, is made to yield more
abundant crops, while, with improved imple-
ments in every department OF agriculture, the
manual labor is reduced 10 a minimum, and
machinery takes the place of the Drawn and
muscle that the farmer was formerly required
to eZpend in wrestling living from the soil.
The Government has always encouraged the
farmer and aided him in every way possible,
and as far back as lSi7 there had grown up an
Agricultural Division of the Patent Office, by
which a report was annually made, giving the
statistics of the crops in various sections OF the
country, and such practical information as
could be obtained with the limited facilities
then at the disposal of the Government Zach
year proved the importance OF the work per-
formed by this Division, and each year there
was greater demand for the reports which 1t
submitted, showing the interest the farmers
themselves took in the matter.
Gradually the sphere of investigation wild
ened. Experiments with new plants and seeds
were made, and the results carefully noted.
Seeds were distributed to well known agrlcul-
turists, who had become experts in the science
of farming, and they were asked to inform the
with them. An chronological collection of
insects which are injurious TO the life and
prosperity of various plants was started,
and the habits of these destroyers OF
cereal vitality were studied, with view
to remedy their attacks. Chemical and
microscopical investigation was carried on to
very limited extent, but still enough to show
the vast value of these examinations II pursued
Systematically and with the proper facilities.
In fact all these various classes OF work We're
performed in a crude and desullory way, and
yet so beneficial were they TO the farming pop
ulatiOn that there was an emphatic demand on
the part of the agricultural interests OF the
country that there should be established COM
prehensive system Of seed and plant distribu-
tion, a more extended investigation of the ex-
tent and value of the agricultural resources of
the country, and 4 mere permanent aud syS-
tematic organization OF Government aid to the
leading industry OF the Nation.
Accordingly, in May, 1852, Congress yielded
to the pressure in this direction and passed an
act establishing the Department of Agriculture.
1t is curious how ignorant the general public IS
as to the exact status of this branch of the Gov
crnment service. Many suppose that it Is even
now a bureau organization and attached TO the
interior Department On the contrary, 1t is,
as il was designated in the act bringing it into
existence the department of Agriculture"
and its Chief, the Commissioner, is as untranl-
meled in his action as any Cabinet officer.
Effort has been made to give the Commissioner
Of Agriculture seat in the Cabinet but thus
Ear without success. The general designs and
duties of the Department of Agriculture as de-
fined in the organic act are " to acquire and
diffuse among the people of the United States
useful information subjects connected with
agriculture in the most general and compre
lensive sense of that word, and TO procure,
propagate and distribute among the people new
and valuable seeds and plants"
The Commissioners duties are defined as fol-
lows: To acquire and preserve in his Depart
ment all information concerning agriculture
which he can obtain by means of books and
correspondence, and by practical and scientific
experiments; by the collection of statistics, and
BY any other appropriate means within his
power; to test by cultivation the value OF such
of them as may require such tests; to propagate
such as may be worthy of propagation, and TO
distribute them among agriculturists. He
shall annually make general report in writing
of his acts to the President and to Congress, in
which he may recommend the publication Of
papers forming parts OF or accompanying his
report. He shall also make special reports Oh
particular subjects whenever required to do so
by the President or either House of Congress.
or when he shall think the subject in his charge
requires it."
The first work of the new Department was
the establishment of an experimental garden,
where tests as to new and improved varieties
determination arrived at as to the advisable
ity o: distributing them TO the farmer thrOu gh-
out the country. The Government was for
tunate in obtaining, during the infancy of the
Agricultural Department, the services of gen.
tleman in every way fitted 10 conduct these
experiments. Mr. VIM. Saunders was q land
scape gardener of acknowledged reputation
whose fame extended beyond the State of Penn
sylyania, in which he resided, and whose labOrs
had taken him into nearly all the Northern
States. He was man Of extensive reading
of great energy, thoroughly practical i'll bis
ideas, and enthusiastic in the benefits to be
derived from the work Of the new Department.
AS the founder Of the experiments which have
been promotiyc Of such widespread benefit to
the agricultural interests Of the country as
they have broadencd in development, Mr..
Saunders may be considered, in a certain sense,
the father of the Agricultural Department,
and it is but justice to say that many Of the
special departments OF investigation which are
now 1ourishing and prosperous in the Depart
ment, had their origin III suggestions made by
him. He is still the Superintendent Of Gar
dens and Grounds the Horticulturist and Ar
bOrculturi5t Of the Department, and the beau
tifully laid out grounds which surround the
Agricultural buildings, covered with flowers of
every description, with trees and plants of the
rarcSt as well as the most useful varieties at
test his industry, skill, taste, and extensive
research.
The Department 1T present Is Systematically
arranged in Divisions, each being directed by a
responsible head. First in Importance, per-
haps, comes the
SEED DIVISION,
the distribution of seeds being q leading
feature Of the operations of the Department.
Mr. Wn. King, OF Onio vino has made spec
ialty Of the adaptation Of seeds to different eli
matte and soil influences, is the Chief OF this
Division, and DIR. ii. Il. Branham is the Super
intcndcnt Of Seed Room. b. the distribution
Of seeds an incentive is given 10 new produc-
tiOns and the formation of new industries
equally to that of increased food products In
climates perfectly adapted to the habits and
requirements Of plant, skill in cultural appli-
cations anu judicic13 selection of seed will nat
urally tend to increased improvement as to
quantity and quality Of products; but when
plants are introduced into climates hostile to
their perfect growth gradual deterioration will
invariably follow. Under these conditions the
only method of insuring a succession Of re-
muGoratiyo crops Is by the introduction and
use OF seeds produced in climates favorable to
their perfect development, and in no other way
can this fact be so forcibly impressed upon
farmers than that of furnishing them with
such seeds, SO that they may reach conviction
from direct personal experiments.
Another important object OF seed distribution
is that OF tcstinG the merit Os new seeds in DIFF
fercnt climates ana diversity OF soils in one
season. Seeds of now, untested varieties are
placed ia the hands OF farmers in selected To-
calitics for cultivation, who in due time rcnort
A1.n