New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02

soul.
Recent reports show the wisdom Of Congress
in granting an increase from July In the Pat
ent Office force. and inventors and manufact-
urers who took a deep interest in the reform Of
the work Of this Office for years congested In
every department. and who urged Congress to
come to its relief well repaid for their efforts
The Commissioner reports a decrease since
June 80 Of over twenty-thrce hundred in the
number Of applications for patents awaiting
action by the office. and in all the divisions APP
pliCations are reached in much shorter time
than was the last June. Before long Mr.
DUEL expects that all the old cases will be dis
posed Of and the work brought up to date, and
by January next all applications will be acted
upon within six weeks of their filing date. When
it is remembered that formerly it often took
from six to nine months to get action on a
patent, the progress made is at once apparent
Public attention has been directed in the last
few months To the Navy and War departments
and more Is known and understood of their
workings by the general public than ever be-
fore. 1t is surely one of the benefits Of the war
the awakening Of popular interest in these
branches of the Government; but what might
be called the peace departments were just as
actively at work while hostlties were going on
Now that the sword is being beaten into the
ploughshare attention will naturally turn to
that Department typical of peace. which. in the
last few years. has made more rapid strides
than any Of her sister departments compelling
the admiration Of the worlds specialists in agri-
culture. and attracting students and investi-
gators from every part Of the globe
1t is beyond the scope Of this paragraph to
give 4 resume If the recent work of the Depart
ment OF Agriculture. but a knowledge Of the
actual work and Investigations going on in its
different divisions would be a revelation to those
people who think of it only a place where
seeds are distributed. to those even who. al
though they know something Of its work, have
not kept informed OF its progress. The prac-
teal value of the Weather Bureau. for instance
can hardly be overestimated. and its researches
in -climatology and meteorology have added in
calculably to scientific knowledge on these sub
jects What is true of the Weather Bureau is
true in some degree Of al the different di-
visions.
one Of the largest and most important di-
visions Of the Agricultural Department. and
one Of the most interesting as we'll is the Office
of Experiment Stations. whose name fails To
give an adequate idea Of the diversified charac-
ter of its work Tersely told this Office repre-
sents the Secretary of Agriculture in his rela
tons with the agricultural colleges and expert
ment stations prepares reports thereon for
transmission to Congress- issues technical and
popular bulletins based upon the agricultural
experiment stations and kindred institutions
throughout the world examines the expenditure
and work of institutions having courses in agri-
Iiv.Y ~.
progress Of agricultural education and has su-
pervision Of cooperative investigation on the
food and nutrition Of man.
1t is one of the duties 81 the director Of the
office OF experiment stations and his assistants
10 visit all the colleges and stations throughout
the country every year. that they may report
intelligcntly on their condition and aid their
faculties by their advice Professor True. the
director. md his assistant. Mr. Allen. are about
starting on a tour for that purpose. The direct
or will visit all the agricultural colleges ana
experiment stations in the Northeast, while
Mr. Allen will make trip through the south
Already this year Professor True has travelled
as far West rs Oregon on similar mission.
Mr.. Aliens circuit included the colleges in the
Southwest as far as the Pacific Coast
While Germany and France excel in certain
lines. it is said that the system of agricultural
teaching and experiments is more thoroughly
organized and better conducted in this country
than anywhere else in the world. That other
countries are constantly sending students to be
educated in the colleges here, and scientists to
inv estigate the methods in vogue. and are ar
ranging their colleges and experiment stations
on United states models would seem To prove
this statement.