The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-15
COMPLETING ITSLABORS.
STATE BOARD or IGRIcULTUREA D-
JOURNS UNTIL NEXT arm.
Colonel Buford'- Resolution in Favor of
the Holding OF "a Farmers Convention.
Report Prom the Weather Bureau.


The State Board Of Agriculture COM
pleted its labors yesterday afternoon aud
adjourned until the first Tuesday IN April
at II A. NJ The Board reconvened In
the morning AT 10 o'clock In the Office
of the Commissioner Of Agriculture
in the State Library building. The fol-
lowing members were present. Col. \. L.
Buford presidenD and Messrs. W w
Brand. Of Roanoke county; o. r. Hine.
OF Fairfax county. Jno. l.. Hurt, Of
Pittslyvania county; J. Il. Kemper, of
Augusta county. Judge r. NJ Mallory. Of
Brunswick county; }. X. Mccain. Of
Frederick county; y. q. Stuart. OF Rus
sell county, Colonel Thomas Whitehead
CommissicLer OF Agriculture.
The report OF Commissioner Whitehead
presented the previous evening was
taken up and read. ON motion of Major
Hurt 10 was decided TO refer so much Of
the report as alluded 10 the printing Of
600 copies of the Hand Book 10 the Com
mlttee on publication. The remainder of
tine report was referred TO the Finance
Committee.
The quarterly report Of the director Of
the Virginia Weather Service was re-
celVcd and Med
MR.. EVANS REPORT.
The report OF Mr.. Evans contained the
following:
In reviewing the work Of the virginia
Climate and crop Service. during the
three months just passed. there arc found
some matters worthy of special mention
Aside frCm the routine work Of the
office. which has proceeded in about the
same lines as usual there have beer two
special features introduced. viz. The is.
sue Of daily weather maps, which con-
tain the general weather conditions al
over the country and which are dis
tributed over the State no large as wcl
as locally. 10 the number OF about 100
copies per day. and the publication of the
monthly reports of the voluntary OBJ
servers I'm row form. which ls rore
comprehensive and useful. iu that 10 con-
tains in addition TO The usual matter
charts showing the distribution Of tcm-
perature ana rainfall Cor praciuitauom
over the State. These portray iu a -raph-
10 manner the various local and general
peculiarities Of these phenomena and in-
dictate better than any tabulatod or writ
ten statement what tho weather has been
during each month in these respects.
I'm regard 10 the publication of he
weather maps 1 do not know thit il has
any special connection with the work
carried on by this bureau in co-Opari-
ton with your Board but 10 is mentioned
as showing the material Improvement
which is taking place in the charactes
Of the Weather Bureau work being done
in the State. and as an indication of the
fact that we are growing m The right
direction. ln this respect 10 may possess
some interest
From an present appearances / feel
fr.
ing on basis which unites economy with
development and which presents in
reasonable degree an the aspects of Sue
cessful operation.
HEAVY WORK or THE OFFICE.
THE labOrs of this office in putting and
holding together the various portions Of
the work. which have aided ir making
the complete whole. have been unusually
heavy. indeed I'm excess of what could
be done consistent with the demands II
other branches. so that in some OF thc
least important respects no N ltcrial adj
vancement has taken place.
Yet, nevertheless. new meteoroiogi-
cal station has been established IL
Swords Creek. Russell county the in
struments for which We're furnished by
the National Bureau.
State Instruments have been furnish
ed to the observers az Lexington and
Wythevlle replacing Weather Hurts
instruments which had become un-ervicc-
able from long usage, aud corresponding
is now under way which Is hoped wiz
result I'm the establishment OF four new
meteorological stations.
"A sub-conter for the distribution Of
card forecasts by mail has beel opcne1
40 Martinsville, Va, and one az BASIC
city. Va. has been discontinued ow'ns
20. the death of the forecast display man
.Thc monthly report for November was
the first number TO Doe ISSUED IN ihe
new form.
"m accordance with the provisions OF
the appropriation granted by your poAid
for dcfraying some of the expenses "l-
teudant upon the work. there was pur-
chased. under authority Of Director bu-
ford. six maximum and six minimum
thermometers Of the standard Weather
Bureau grade. and six rain-sauges COM
pletc. at cost OF so.
as mentioned above. some or those
instruments have been used in replacing
defective ones. and those remaining wlll
Doe issued as needed from time 20 time
10 equip new stations.
"Telegraphio forecast service. az the
expense OF the National Bureau. has
been taken up 10 the manager Of the
telephone lire at Winchester. Va. and
free OF further charge. 20 the more im-
portaut towns in the Northern Valley.
"Iu REGARD 20 the establishment OF 4d-
duional meteorological stations. 30 is ny
intention 10 prosecute this work Nieof-
ously ass time and opportunity permit
during the coming quarter.
"ln building up tur climate ana crop
work in this State $500 have got the nrst
necessary things now, namely good
foundation. The rest viii follow. w-'.
proper care and development on con-
servative lines
FOR a FARMERS CONVENTION.
The Committee on Finance presented its
quarterly report which was approved
II contained practically the same state
mcuis ass TO receipts and expenditure.
which appeared Boz the report of the
Commissioner.
Letters were received from Judge r.
/. Henley. OF Williamsburg. and .lr. A.
j. McAlatn. OF Acclmac. oXpainins the
absence of these 100 members OF the
Board.
Colonel Buford offered the following.
Resolved that O. committee OF three be
appointed TO consider tie probable utli-
~ and pr4cficabinfv OF securing during
the ensuing spring a large and rcprosen-
tative convention of the farmers of Nir-
ginia or of the several States of the
Union. with power to act on the subject
as they shall deem best
Colonel Buford iu explaining the object
OF the resolution. called attention TO t1e
fact that most OF the professions etc, had
their regular gatherings 10 which mca-
sure for the bettermeut of their rcsgec-
tive conditions were discussed. Ills dee
sire was TO bring about "a similar move