Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-04-03
Arlington Again

Arlington Again
The Washington Critic of Monday said
"The proposition to establish and maintain
on the old Lso estate. CT Arlington, an agii
cultural experiment station an farm, meet!
with the cordiai approval OF Secretary Rusk
The Secretary says toe Agricul ural Depart.
meut could use the 800 acres of government
Land there, which is now mainly occupied
by negro squatters, rot only for an ag1icul
tursl experiment station and farm, bat alec
"a an experineut station of the animal in
dustry branch of his department. There
sould hs 10 cost attached to the ground, as
it il already the property OF the United
States, end he thinks al appropriation oi
S25 900 would be sufficient 10 outfit the es.
tsblshment on the start. lhe present ami
nal Industry experiment station is on ented
ground and stands in need Of enlargement
and extenfiop. The land at Arlington, "he
says. ''is now unemployed, and being the
property Of the government should be made
available without further expense than re-
moving to it the plaut slG equit tment OF the
pressau station" OJher officials of the de
oarimaut said .be idea was an excellent
one. Tae experiment farm wonid be con.
yenient to the Department and would
form an additional attraction to
visitors, especially these from rural
districts. while the memorial bridge and am
ohithea,re would add largely ID the beauty
of the already NEST beautiful! city in the
world.
II have examined the soil over there, :"
said one OF the officials, land fad that 1t is
I'D toa mis- CT Of tho cYnpriO1pntE
in which the Department is engaged. The
idea is splendid one Gnd Congress should
adopt 1t at once" Several members Of the
Grand Army of the Republic express tham
selves as enthusiastically in favor of the
memorial amphitheatre. 1t would be a
handsome and deserved tribute, they say,
to the thousands of boys in blue who now
slumber on the slopes of old Arlington. II
could also be used on Memorial Day instead
of the cumbersome and unsafe canvas affairs
for the great audiences that generally attend
:he memorial services
Altogether the project is meeting with
general favor Ia every direction, and Con
cression0l action may be taken any day.
Editorialiy the same paper said {: The use
Of that part of the Arlington estate which is
unoccupied by the Government and which
is practically waste land as an experimental
farm would constitute it valuable adjunct
10 the Agricultural Department 1t would
greatly increase its facilities for making those
trials and tests in the cultivation of the va
rious cereals, plants end fruits, Tor which it
has now such limited room.
Outside OF the beautiful cemetery and the
ground required for garrison purposes at
Fort Myer, there are 800 acres which might
be employed for the purpose suggested,
with not only vast improvement to the
negbborhood OF this city but also with bene.
fl to the whole country. The part referred
10 contains q considerable variety of soil
which might be utilized. not only for exper'
iments under the most favorable conditions
but for the dieplay of the best methods in
prectcai farming. The farm itself might
bscome kind of object lesson for the agri-
cultural visitor, while the reports of the
success or failure of modes of cultivation
by experts with the best appliances and un-
der favorlng circumstances would be read
with interest by thousands of intelligent
and progressive farmers throughout the
land. There can be no doubt that the car
ryipg out of the proposed plan would add
greatly to the beautiful surroundings of the
Capital, and accordingly our citizens gen.
orally must have been pleased to learn that
a bill Is soon to be presented 10 Congress
providing for its execution. If the improve.
ment is effected, and if the smphitheatre
which is suggested for the crest of the ridge
be built, these features will show additional
necessity for the construction of the great
Memorial Bridge to span the Potomac at the
foot OF New York avenue.