The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28
ITS USEFULNESS EXTENDED
The Agricultural Department Plans
for the Future.
improvements Hnde Possible by
Liberal Approprintion-A Partial
REORGANIZATION of the Scientific
Divisions-A New Building Needed.

Divisions-A New Building Needed.
The appropriation made for the Agricul-
tural Department for the year i9Ol-i92 Is
the largest yet recorded in the history of
that institution. 1t provides for future
extension of the work of the Department
in various lines, and inaugurates scheme
for the partial reorganization of the scien-
tific branches OF its work. Three of the
Divisions have been raised to the grade
of Bureaus, and a number of other Di-
visions have been amalgamated in one
large Bureau of Plant Industry, cores
ponding in a general manner to the Blu
reau of Animal Industry.
Few people, perhaps, other than those
throughout this country who have been
brought into contact with the Agricultural
Department, realize the splendid work
which is being accomplished by the insti-
tuition on behalf of the farmer and stock
raiser. Starting first as a kind of Access
sorry to the Patent Office for the distri-
button of seeds, the Department was
formally organized in 1862 in an independ-
ent scope, and placed in charge of Com
missioner, and in 1889 was raised to the
position Of an Executive Department. At
about this time the Hatch act was passed
providing for agricultural experiment sta
tons. thereby charging the field of use
fulness OF the new department.
The growth of the Agricultural Depart
nent has been constant and uninterrupt-
ed. The increasing appropriations each
year have demonstrated the fact that
fits usefulness has been recognized by the
General Government. AS an institution
for agricultural investigation, raising the
avocation of the farmer to its ancient and
proper spere of dignity and Importance,
it stands without counterpart in any
other country, and there are said to be
few, if any scientific organizations which
number so large an aggregation of scient-
lists and experts devoting their attention
TO investigation and research. Indeed,
the department is coming to be recog,
nized. not alone in this country where its
benefits are more directly felt, but
throughout the world. as one of the lead
ing scientific institutions in existence. The
formation of bureaus is said by the au-
thorities, to be especially timely at this
juncture, for it is a recognition of the
growth which has been made in the
past and the necessity for a closer and
more compact organization in the fu-
ture
1.-THE creation of these four new bu-
reaus, in addition to the Weather Bureau
and the Bureau of Animal Industry
said prominent expert, lis following
out of the general divisions into which the
subject of agriculture seems logically to
fail, associating such lines of work as re-
late closely to each other and providing
for the closest cooperation practicable
among them"
The newly created Bureau of Plant
Industry embraces the disvisions of
Botany, Vegetable Physiology. and Path
ology, Agrostology. Pomology, and Gar
dens and Grounds. and is under the direc-
torship of Prof. B. T. Galloway. To this
bureau has also been assigned the sec
ton of Seed and Plant Introduction, to-
gether with the general supervision of
the experiments in tea culture. An ex-
pert in horticulture will be shortly added
to the number of specialists now en-
ployed in the bureau
The raising Of the Divisions of Soils and
Forestry to Bureaus is a recognition of
the newly instituted plan for a system
attic survey of agricultural soils, and the
extension of the Investigations in for
estry. The Bureau of Chemistry, the
fourth Bureau provided for, is already
commencing to be considerably enlarged
in scope.
A close communication is being insti-
tuted in conformity with the appropria-
tion act, between the different divisions OF
the Department, and likewise between the
headquarters OF the latter and the agricuI-
tural experiment stations.
The Bureau of Plant Industry, among
the new bureaus. has received the largest
appropriation, amounting to 1921, $50. The
gums appropriated for the various lines
of investigation under the supervision of
this bureau, aside from increased and ad-
ditionsI salaries, are: $4,000 for investi-
cations in vegetable pathology and physi-
ology; $4,000 for genealogical investiga-