The times., 1899-11-30

depIores the i'll results Of injudicious graz
ing due 10 the Indifference 81 the oecupIers
under the present system. He
leasing in large areas and for suficle..-
time to invite Improvement, and suggests
that the revenue from such leases might
be turned over to the States for educational
purposes or irrigation.
The Secretary concludes his report with
imuOrtant recommendations on variety
OF subjects.
OF the abandoned farms of New Eng
land he says that they are not abandoned
on account of sterility: that they viii be
studied by the soil physicist, agrostoloEist,
and the forester and the valuable sugges-
tions resulting from their studies viii be
distributed throughout New England,
Concerning the New Possessions.
He urges that means be adopted to pro-
duce in Porto Rico Hawaii, and the Philip
pines many of the tropical plants which
this country now imports to the extent Of
5000 000. 600 anuually-more than four times
as much as the total exports of the Islands
in question.
Our imports of oranges, lemons, cocoa
nuts. bananas, and especially coffee, OF
which in 1898 we imported over $65, 600, 600
worth, could. in large part. be produced in
ommends experiments in the production Of
india rubber for which we are now largely
dependent upon Brazil. The import Of in
dia rubber and gutta-percha in 1898 exceed
ed in value $26. 600 000 of which three
fifths came from Brazil. After discussing
at some length the methods OF collection
and treatment and the character Of the
Brazilian product he indicates one tree in
particular, known as the Ceara, as likely
m ha q q UrndnPp imnDTfap1 9G-
dition to the natural supply Of india rub
Der. He adds: The feasibility of cult
waiting this plant in the Philippines should
be very carefully investigated
The Turkestan alfalfa introduced by the
department is warmly commended as sue
cessfuIly withstanding drought and cold.
1t is proposed TO distribute it widely over
the arid West, To be thoroughly tested and
its introduction is spoken of as likely TO
add millions of dollars to the annual hay
product OF the country.
valuable rice has also been intro
duced from Japan. It possesses a high mill
ing quality and is highly superior TO the
domestic product, and should il succeed
in Louisiana hundreds and thousands Of
dollars viii be AIDED yearly TO the rice
growing industry.
In connection with the subject of native
drug plants. cooperative work is proposed
t hE the NEDdIll0ENl anu the / an tiA'aI lAtAh
. Congress in a technical and scientific in
vestigation of these plants; $4,000 is ask
ed for to enable the department TO under
take this work The great increase OF
cotton imports from Egypt. averaging IN
value for the past three years nearly three
and three quarter million dollars, lends i'm
portance to the experiments so far made
J with the Egyptian cotton seed imported by
the department in 1894. While a further
cod hot nit n
Z proper management it viii become we'll
establishd in the United States.
New Laboratory Buildings.
Mr.. Wilson makes a most urgent plea
I for the erection on the department grounds
! Of new laboratory buildings as a substitute
( for the numerous and inconvenient build
+ ings. mostly dwelling houses, now occu-
pied for laboratory purposes at a cost of
O0O a year. He has caused plans TO
+ be prepared of freproof structures proyid-
ing an increase OF floor space over the
+ present accommodations and in every way
more suitable and economical, 10 cost, ap-
proximately, 5000. 600
The concluding portion of the report Is
I devoted 10 a discussion Of agricultural
4 education The Secretary holds that in
view Of the Importance OF agriculture ID
7 the economic life OF the country adequate
! measures for the efficient agricultural edu-
cation Of our people, nearly one-half OF
whom are engaged in agriculture, are
! lacking He refers to the impossibiliJy
: Of securing. on demand from the Civil Ser
/ vice Commission, persons qualified 10
I serve as assistants in the scientific diyi-
I sions Of the department. The training ol
the necessary experts has to be done in
/ the department itself, and then when their
I full measure of usefulness is attained
1 wealthy institutions take them from the
/ service by offering much higher salaries
than the department is authorized 10 pay
Arrangements have been made with tht
! Civil Service Commission to make regis
ter OF the graduates OF the land gran
colleges. From this register young me1
viii be selected to assist in the scientific
divisions at very small pay, but witt
( special opportunities for post graduate
study such as no university in the lane
supplies BY this means il is hoped tha
the department viii have a force iron
which 10 not only fill vacancies wheI
wealthy institutions take away the depart
/ ment's trained men but possibly, also, t
{ supply agricultural stations and othe
I scientific institutions with men Of superio
scientific attainments. This is a step in
tended TO complete the educational system
provided in the endowment of agricul
tural experiment stations and agriculture
colleges. The work so proposed will en-
tail but moderate expense, and the Secre
tary expresses the hope that it will NEE
with the approval Of Congress. Referenc
is made to The gratifying evidence of grow
ing interest in the subject Of elementaT
instruction in sciences relating to agri
culture. and to the progress made in thi
regard since the Secretary presented hi
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