The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-02

some extent can provide postgraduate ia
cihties. The capacity of the department is
limited, but assistants are often tempted to
accept higher salaries in state institutions
and the opening Of the laboratories to post
to fill vacancies as they occur, supply, tenn
porary agents and also furnish scientific as
sistants in state institutions.
The distribution of young plants to vari-
GUS parts of the country reached total for
the year Of 10000, including bulbs. This
experimental garden work Is expected to
reap material general benefit.
The report announces that the Bureau OF
Animal Industry has perfected a dip which
takes the fever ticks from cattle, so they
can be moved north at any season, that II
has continued experiments with antitoxin
serum to prevent and cure hog cholera, anu
1t IS recommended that this discovery, nay
ing been made by public officials at public
expense should not be diverted to private
gain, and that the serum manufacture
should be continued under government con-
troll. at least for some years to come. The
Texas fever dipping stations will be estab-
lished at convenient points before the next
quarantine season. The results from the
black leg vaccine indicate the percentage OF
loss in herds has been reduced from 10 to %
to less than l per cent This indicates that
if generally used it will tend TO eradicate the
disease completely. Detailed figures as to
the miscropic inspection Of meats are sub
mitted.
Other features of the report briefly fol-
low: Quick and timely information has been
gained of foreign markets. under the direc-
ton Of Chief Hitchcock, and cur knowledge
of the islands of the Caribbean and China
seas largely increased. Our foreign trade
in agricultural products is shown to be over
two-thirds of our domestic exports and is
steadily growing, while the production Of
field products introduced from foreign coun-
tries is rapidly increasing, causing a CORE
spending decrease in agricultural imports.
Good work has been done in hybridiZing the
orange and other citrus plants, and in the
crossing of pineappleS, increasing the size
and Vigor and greatly improving the flavor.
Observation and forecast weather stations
have been extended around the Caribbean
sea and increased through the interior of
this country, especially in the mountain
States The natural life zones of the United
adapted to various crops determined. -Four
scientific explorers of the department are
abroad getting seeds and plants in Russia,
the Mediterranean region, the China sea and
South America. Strenuous efforts are
making to perfect crop statistics, and Sta
tistician Hyde's successful measures to pre-
clude accurate premature statements of the
official figures are commented on. The
Alaskan interior will be explored next sum-
mer to learn it's capacity to support popu-
Iation while coastal resources already have
been determined.
Steel rails are stated to be the coming
material for good roads where hard rock
is not convenient Regarding forestry.
species adapted to dry regions are now being
Introduced better methods of handling
forest lands in public and private ownership
are being introduced by government agents
aud fire prevention and fire fighting are
being studied The report also refers to the
value and popularity of the official farmers
bulletins and to soil and tobacco researches.