Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-11-15
ruL HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.



improvements IN the department outlined
900 the report The appropriations for the
department for the current fiscal year have
been found inadequate for the new work
which has been undertaken, having been
made entirely on the basis of the old or
gauizatiou aud the secretary asks for al
increase sufficient o. enable the depart
ment To meet it, obligations to the country
lie says that the aggregate sum asked for
iu ms estimates for the coming fiscal year
must not be- estimated 10y what Is past hut
Bog what great agricultural country should
do toward sustaining, protecting and pro
noting a.calhng which lies at the founda
tIou of hts prosperity and power
A striking contrast is drawn between
this amount and the appropriations for a.
rlculture made boy those countries which
the report says, are the most active com
petltor, of American farmers in the world
market A comparison shows that Great
Britain appropriates for agriculture 81 800,
600 Germany, - $50 900 Brazil SEQ
uOO, OOO for agriculture and mines France,
5000. 600, and Austria more than 81 600
600. The secretary finds that the provi-
sion for an assistant secretary III the new
law was wise one. and he has utilized
this. he says, 10y dividing the department
into two grand divisions. one embracing
administrative and executive work, the
other purely scientific work
The problem which presented itself 70
the secretary of getting the results of the
work done 10y the department more prompt
ly before the people mas been solved by the
establishment of a new division which
furnishes promptly To the agricultural and
commercial press synopsis of the main
points of every bulletin and report puu.
llshed by the department The secretary
expresses qualification at the results OBJ
tanned in this direction through the cordiaI
cooperation Of the pres, generally The
secretary regards the plan as virtually GOV
ering the entire field for he adds. ''the
farmer who does not read some paper de
voted to his calling is beyond the reach of
intelligent effort on his behalf
of the crop reporting system, he says
While approximate and valuable it is in
danger of becoming discredted by the pop
ular acceptance Of its results as exact in
precision and absolute in authority 1t
should be remembered that they are not
the conclusions of a thorough census.
though they may be far better than the
work of a poor census. but are the local
estimates of agricultural experts and are
intended as a foil 10 the interested, biased
make to mislead their victims
of the rapid development of agriculture
in the Rocky Mountain districts. the secre-
tary says the division of statistics ha, been
directed 10 investigate their resources
The results he adds, will surprise the
Eastern states with new views of the wealth
and progress of the great American desert
of the recent past The intention is eN-
pressed to adopt some method 10y which the
relations existing between the department
and Its numerous county correspondents
can he utilized TO secure representation of
the department at the state and county
fairs. for, says the secretary. every
thing that tends TO d more intimate ac-
qualntance between the department and
farmers throughout the country must he
mutually advantageous
The condition of the sugar industry is
reviewed M detail, and the results declared
To bee of mixed character in some cases
yielding well and in other cases proving
disappointing The region where the sor-
rhum sugar industry may be attended with
success, has been localized III the southern
part of central kansas west and south of
Wichita, and in parts of the Indian terri
tory Special attention is To be given u
the development of varieties of sorghum
containing a higher content of available
sugar. Important progress has already
been made IN this direction MANY local.
tie, IN the United States, especially III the
North and ON the Pacific coast. are known
To bee specially suitable 10 the production of
sugar beet rich IN saccharine matter
The interest in this subject developed bv
the successful experiments in California
will he met by the publication during the
coming winter of a full report on the beet
sugar industry IN the United States
The botanical department Is 10 be special
ly occupied in an effort 10 solve the prob
lem of increasing the forage Weld Oh the
BOO. 900, 900 acres of the arid region out
side of possible irrigation by promoting
the productlveness of the grasses now
growing there. In regard 10 textile fibres
the question nov occupying the attention
of the Department is the utilization of flax
lute ramie and other fbres, all of which
can he cultivated IN certain sections of this
country by means of Improvements in ma
chlnery such as will do away with the ex-
cessive manual labor incident To its prepa-
ration for manufacture a special investi-
cation into this field Of labor in Europe is
now being made hv a capable man commis-
stoned boy the secretary for that purpose
The report urges the duty of the govern
ment tu assume more definite supervision
of sdch forest areas as are still owned by
IL and such as occupy position of import
auce m the regulation of water flow and of
other climatic conditions, and emphasizes
the Importance Of the relations which the
forests bear 10 the problem of irrigation in
the arid lands. The secretary recommends
the setting apart of some 300 acres of the
Arlington estate for the use of the depart
meut for the testing of new varieties Of
fruits and other important experimental
work at present impossible owing To lack
of room
The seed division has received the score
tary special attention and he announces
som" changes IA the manner of purchasing
seeds and hi, determination 90 observe
CLOSELY the products of other countries IN
order that the seeds of such as are found
90 possess singular excellence may he se-
cured and experimental with IA TINS couu-
try.
The subject of agricultural organizations
is dwelt upon earnestly, their astonishing
growth during the last few wears being
cited as strong evidence Of the growth of
self help among the farmer The farmers
Institute are referred o. particularly a.
one of the greatest movements M the his
tory u. agriculture aud a. the strongest
lever for raising and uphodiur the work
of superior agricultural education repre-
scented uy our system. of agricultural col
leFrs uud experiment stations The secre
Rotary recommends that the department