The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-16

mental station in California. The site for
the station has mot yet been selected.
though 1t is pretty certain 1t will be To-
Gated somewhere convenient to the bottom
lands Of the Sacramento or San joaquin
probably the latter. w. II. Wiley. chemist
of the Agricultural Department, some TINE
ago wrote as follows to E. j. Wickson Of
the experimental station at Berkeley.
CAL: Under authority Of Congress the
Secretary of Agriculture has instructed
me to secure the inspection of certain sites
in the alluvial deposits Of California
which may prove to be suitable for the
establishment of an experimental station
for testing the possibilities of growing
sugar cane in those localities. Hon. A.
Caminetti has kindly consented to secure
offers OF sites for this purpose. and when
number of these have been secured it
will be necessary to inspect them in order
to determine which one is most suitable
for the work.
The nature of the inspection required
may be briefly outlined as follows: The
character Of the soil should be carefully
noted; its liability to overflow and the pcs
slbilty of its drainage mist also be con-
sidered. A statement should be made
concerning the length of time the sol! has
been under cultivation and the kinds of
crops grown thereon. Especial reference
must be had to the facilities for transporta-
ton. inasmuch as the experimental work
may require the transportation and cree
ton Of a considerable amount Of ma
chInery. 1t is therefore desirable that the
location selected should be one which can
be reached either by rail or by boat
I'm addition to the general characteris-
tics OF the soil a report is desired on the
nature of the climate. The date at which
the first frosts may be expected should be
given, anG also the date Of the last frosts
in the spring The degree of cold reached
during the winter should also be noted. in
order that some idea can be formed of the
possibility Of keeping the stubble of the
sugar cane alive during the winter
months. The amount of rainfall should
also be noted and the season of the year at
which it is expected, and whether or not
Irrigation will be necessary.
Tine above are the main points which
should be covered in the report. but you
will doubtless think of many other items
of interest and these should be added"
Secretary Morton said to THE CALL
CORRESPONDENT to-day that he had not yet
decided whether to enlarge the scope of
S. ecial Agent Murphy's duties in Europe.
Concerning the establishment of sugar
experimental ~'ation in California Pro-
fessOr Wiley, chemist Of the Agricultural
Department, said he was waiting for the
report of the inspector concerning the
selection of SITE Professor Wiley says
that Secretary Morton is strongly opposed
to the establishment Of experimental
stations, but he will endearOr to try and
convince him of their usefulness, so that
the Secretary will, in his annual report,
recommend that Congress appropriate
money for the purpose.
There Is now some doubt as to whether
Morton will ask an appropriation for this
purpose. The Cabinet officer has bee me
interested in several petty reforms, of
which one is the distribution of seeds. as
heretofore stated in these dispatches.
Morton also proposes to reduce the num-
Der of female micrOScopists in his bureau,
many of whom support families by means
of their salary. AS for the experimental
station, Professor Wiley is intelligent
enough to see that if sugar cane can be
successfully grown on the sWampy lands
of the Sacramento or San Joaquin rivers
number of acres lwill become productive
that are now conf aratiyely worthless. He
is heartily in favor of the sugar-cane
growing experiment in California. Money
for the establishment of the station is
already available, and hereafter the annual
appropriation for maintaining it need only
be about $1,000.
Secretary Herbert to-day approved the
findings of the court of inquiry In the case
Of Commander r. A. Lyons. The court
was appointed to inquire into the circum-
stances Of the running down of the Nor
wegian bark Speranza by the Monongahela
in the harbor of Funchal, Madeira, in
January last. The court found that Com
mander Lyons was at fault in maneuver-
ing his vessel. but in view OF certain
mitigating circumstances recommended
that no further action be taken.
The findings of the court of inquiry con-
vened at Fort Mckinney, Mont, to lnves-
tgate certain alleged irregularities in the
accounts of Captain j. A. Hutton in coz
nection with the post canteen have been
received at the War Department. The
court finds that Irregularities were due to
care lessness rather than culpablity.
ceived by this Government of the Intention
of Russia to establish naval station on
our eastern coast, with headquarters at
New York, but it is not doubted that such
is the case. 1t is not believed that the es-
adjustment OF Russian naval station on
our coast is of any warlike import, but
merely part of general scheme TO pro-
vide convenient stations in different parts
Of the globe. The story was denied by
Russian Consu-General Olarovsky at
New York to-day.
The Acting Secretary of the Interior has
revoked the decision of the department in
the case of the Waterloo Mining Company
VS.. John S. Doe, involving Oriental lode 2.
Los Angeles district. and the record in the
case will be certified to him for action.
A postoffice was to-day established at
Del Rosa. San Bernardino County. Cal,
and Ida j. Eggers was appointed post
mistress.
The special postal service has been dis.
continued from Lovelocks to Clements.
Churchill County. New.
j. S. Sniff has been appointed postmas-
ter at Gold Run. Placer County. Cal, vice