Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-21

YEAR BOOK or THE UNITED
STATES. DEPARTMENT OF AGRI-
CULTURE. 1895. Washington: Govern
ment Prntlng-Ofce 1896
This is a book of ojl pages, and many
illustrations, which we suppose has been
printed for distribution through members
OF Congress, etc. We copy It's preface,
which describes the scope OF the work, a
COPY Of which we should think every pro-
gressive would like to have, particularly,
as 1t contains many valuable recipes for
the destruction of insects, etc:
Ever since 1873. when the report OF the
Department of Agriculture was first pub
nshed I'm a separate volume, as Part
III. Of the Annual Report Of the Com
missioner of Patents" it has been GUS
tomary 10 issue large editions for dis
tributiOn by Congress. OF the report Tor
1851. 10000 copies were printed, 100000 Of
which were for distribution by Congress
The original edition of uo,o)9 copies was
gradually increased with the growth or
the population Of the country and the
development Of its various agricultural
interests. until It reached in 1882 half a
million copies. The volume IN the Old
form was made up Of business and exccu-
tive reports Tor the use Of the President
and Congress, and such statements Of the
results of scientific work as promised 20
be useful 10 farmers. In the belief that
a volume designed for such extensive dis
tribution among farmers should be spe-
cially prepared for them. provi Ion was
incorporated IN the act OF January j,
1895 printed on the opposite page, re-
curing that future annual reports OF the
Department OF Agriculture should be
divided into two volumes: First an exc
cutive and business report. and. second,
a volume made Up OF the papers from
the department bureaus and divisions
specially suited TO interest and instruct
the farmers OF the country" As the re-
port for 1894 had been prepared before
this act became a law, all that could
be done last year was TO separate the
papers submitted and publish them IN
the new form While II IS hoped that the
present volume IS somewhat OF an ad-
vance upon the Yearbook for 1894, II does
not fuzzy come up TO the ideal which the
department has set before IT,
The plan has been 20 prepare a volume
consisting OF three parts:
1. "a general report OF the operations
Of the department" during the year by
the Secretary OF Agriculture.
2 a series OF papers from the different
bureaus and divisions OF the department.
and from some OF the experts OF the agri-
cultural experiment stations. discussing
in a popular manner the results OF in
vestigatlons in agricultural science or new
developments IN farm practice. These
papers are presented IN the form Of pOpus
lar essays, rather than scientific reports,
and with the object Of making them at
tractive, as well as instructive they are
Illustrated as fully as possible. The
several topics have been treated in as
thorough a manner as space permitted,
but no attempt has been made 20 cover
the entire range OF subjects that would
be Included In a handbook OF agricul-
tural science As the years so on. IL is
hoped that the department will, IN sue
cessive issues OF this work. give farm
ers q good library covering the applica-
lions Of science 20 practical agriculture.
No systematic treatment has. however,
been possible in planning for this or sue
ceeding Ycarbooks. and only such sub
iects have been taken up as have been
reasonably well investigated and seem
timely or suitable for discussion.
g. An appendix. The publications OF
the United States Government having
more or less bearing upon agriculture.
have become so numerous that an cpl
tome OF their more important contents
has become almost a necessity. Scat
tered through the publications OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture. Tor example,
are many valuable data, facts OF in
terest. recipes, and directions with re-
gard TO agricultural and horticultural
practice. which Il Is desirable 10 bring to-
gether for convenience OF reference. Ac-
cordingly, in the appendix 10 the present
volume there will be found large
amount OF miscellaneous information