The evening times., 1899-11-15

The preparations being made for the
| agricultural display at the Paris EXPOSE
tion next year are growing more extensive
| daily, and are fully occupying the time Of
| the Director Of Agriculture. Charles Rich
ards Dodge, who represents Director Gen.
eral Peck. Director Dodge has an office in
a small frame structure in the rear Of the
Agricultural Departments building. These
quarters are small and overcrowded, but
they are the best that Secretary Wilson
could assign him for the purpose, and be
in close touch with the Department at the
same time. Director Dodge, in referring
to the work under his supervision, said
today that the collection exhibits in Groups
and 10, agricultural and food products,
are now being assembled in this city, where
the agricultural products, which are re-
ceived from the producers in rough state,
are being prepared for the exhibition and
shipment.
The cases that will be used for these
exhibits will be made in Paris for two rea-
sons. first, because of the desire to have the
cases uniform in pattern, and second, to
save the time and expense that their man
ufacture in America would require.
II the cases are made in Paris they will
be fitted to the available space assigned to
them. If made here it is probable that
many Of them would have to be recon-
structed when they reach Paris to fit in
the allotted space.
Some idea of the immensity of this work
of preparation will be had when it is known
that the Government has found it necessary
to rent a four-story building for warehouse
purposes.
This building is situated near the head
quarters of the United States Commission,
being but stones throw from the Agri-
cultural Department building. All products
10 be placed on exhibit are sent to this
warehouse to be prepared for shipment to
Paris. Director Dodge said of these
products today:
Some FIVE tons of grains and cereals
have been received in Washington during
the past five days from farmers from
Maine to Oregon.
This grain has been selected and COL
lected from all over the country by eX-
perts sent by Secretary of Agriculture
Wilson, who have been busy at this work
for several months.
This exhibit reaches Washington in
four-quart bags and represents the finest
grain that could be selected by United
States experts from the crop of the pres
ent year. The collection, under the di-
rection of Director Dodge, is being care
fully overhauled in the Washington ware
house and still further selected by grain
experts.
The grain is then prepared for exhibit
at the Paris Exposition by being placed in
specially made elegant flint glass jafs. a
foot high and five inches in diameter; also
in small exhibition boxes with glass sides;
in grey duck linen bags. rolled down at
the top TO expose the grain, and in large
shallow glass receptacles, also heaped
with grain.
The maize ears will be shown at Paris
upon framed panels, to be placed against
the back of cases, while samples Of the
grain plant, including roots, stem and
heads of plant, will also be shown upon
panels illustrating the export wheat and
other cereals of the United States.
The United States Government will
show in connection with this grain exhibit
a large model OF an American elevator and
numerous other models in connection with
the great grain industry of this county.
An idea of the immensity of the United
States exhibits in the Department of Ag
riculture at the Paris Exposition will be
seen in the contract which has been given
Baltimore firm by the United States
Government for the cases and boxes in
which the exhibit will be shipped across
the ocean.
THE cases which this contract calls for
and in which the exhibit will be placed
when packed solid in boxes will amount
to a total of nearly ten thousand cubic
feet OF space. The Baltimore firm that
took this big contract gave bond to COM
plete the work in two and one-half months.
A large warehouse has also been secured
by the United States Commission in Balti-
more, contiguous to the water front, where
all this case material and the exhibits in
the Departments Of Agriculture and Food
Products will be taken for final shipment
on the United States auxiliary cruiser
Prairie. This cruiser will soon sail from
New York for France, touching at Balti-
more to take on this material. 1T is eX-
pected," says Director Dodge. that fifteen
cubic feet of material will be
ready to ship on the Prairie, and the
amount may be larger"