The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-06-03
Communicated
The STATE BOARD OF A6RlCUL1URt
Its Value what the Legislature Should Do



State today, that the State Agricultural
Department IL of little practical Vhlu' ,
and that to abolish 1t wouid be no mis-
fortune.
Since becoming more hutrd WIN
the workings of the Department. hnd
that nv former opinion was due To *
norance | find that the department Is
at present of much practical value IN
the sphere to which 1t Is limited ana
with proper support could be maze VI
great value to many interests which "
now has no means to advance
The Department Of Agriculture ~
managed by a Commissioner oil Ayr
cnltnre and "A board. consisting Of one
member from each congressional as
trict 1t has in Its employment one
char,ist An inspector If fertilizer and
two clerks. The board meets two OF
three times a year IN Richmond az the
c,ll of the commissioner, and directs
the policy and the action Of the depart
,n.rt The members Of the board serve
without nav for their services Thor
actual travelling expenses and hotel blIIH
are paid while attending meetings 81
the hoard Formerly the Legislature
annropriatcd $40. OCO for the support OF
the department; 1t also had for MS use
tho fees collected from manufacturers
# fertilizer. who have 20 pay ioI license
IN do business in this state Ahoo'
a. 600 WAS collected from this source.
giving the department sIo GOO Tor IT'S
use.
The last Legislature, being animated
by spirit Of economy. and acting
suppose. upon the theory that It was
host IN begin ut the ground, failed 10
nrovide the usual appropriations thus
leaving the department Tor Its use on'y
the money collected from fertilizer IL
censes
This practically reduces the Aerirn''
tual department to fertilizer nor''"
Under the fertilizer las, as amended ~
act n March .. 1896. the Commissioner
II Agriculture il required 10 "n'iy-'
and publish the analy Sisof al the Or 'n'-
Of fertilizer sold in this state, als''''r>
hrver # fertilizer II he desires can pee
nuire the seller to draw sample 81 goods
sold him. and the buyer can send ''iH
samnle IN the state chemist and hAY" II
analysed free IL charge, the SELLER i"I
feiting the goods if they are not As repre-
santod This work and Keeping an IN
spector in the field. u see that the -"
is not violated has been Of goat heneh'
m rho farmers. We used IN Va lAsi
season about O.. million dollars worth
n commercial fertilizer and under the
vigilence Of the department spurious
fertilizers have been pretty well abolish
ed from the State. thus saving our i"-
mors thousands Of dollars. This "otk
consumes all the funds at tho command
# the Department, since the l"Ri-la-
tive appropriation has been cut OIL
Now am convinced the department
could be Of great benefit 10 other inter
ests if it was provided with means The
frnit industry Of the state Is being
much neglected. bee iu,e Of lack OF IN
formation as to its culture, and a. 70
the conditions under which to pr secu'e
this industy profitably. our climate
soil and location is favorable. and II
the department had the funds II couid
investigate the subject and put our far
mars ON 10 the means IT taking advan-
tage Of their opportunities, but u do
this costs money.
The department should have the means
Of having minerals assayed' so thA'
those having mineral deposits on their
lands could have samples assayed ana
know il they were OF any value.
The dairy interest in our state Is dead
because our cities are flooded with
snurious butter and COW butter Is driven
ont of the market. l am reliably IN
fromed that 3 Of the butter sold in our
cities as Elgin creamery butter Is but
terine. The department should nave
the means to investigate this matter
and protect our dairy interests.
Live stock interest is that which Is
now paving best Our people should
have information on this subject.
There are many parts of the state
where this interest is neglected. be-
cause of the impression that it can
only thrive in natural grass country,
this is a mistake. BY growing forage
crop, seattle can be profitably handled IN
many parts Of the state where now there
are none | know this from experience.
The Department could instruct on TINS
point. if they had the funds with
which to work.
think there should be an immigra
tion bureau attached to the department
by which the attention Of those wish
ING TO buy homes could be called to the
advantages of our State, and some
means devised of bringing buyers anC
sellers together; all of this takes
money.
Virginia is behind every state east
of the Mississippi in her agricultural
development. and in the support OF hei
Agricultural Department.
North Carolina gives to her Depart
ment of Agriculture, sGC, 900 Soutl
Carolina, $50, 600; Pennsyl gania, 500
600 She appropriates $l2 900 annually
for holding farmers Institutes. New
York gives her department 500 600
Tennessee, $50 900; Georgia, s35, 600
Kansas. $40, 900, and so with man,
others
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