The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-19
THE GOVERNMENT FARMS
WHERE THE AGRICULTURAL DE-
PARTMENT TESTS ITS SEEDS.
Rural Sights and Sounds I'm the Heart
of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Hundred
Acres for Experiments.

Washington Letter in Philadelphia Press.
In this season of harvests and when the
public mind most naturally turns to things
bucolic the Agricultural Department is most
prominent. It's very name is suggestive OF
fields of waving grain, new-mown hay
rustling corn and the other stock acces-
series of rural scenes. In more than SEN
timent, however, this department now fills
the public eye, for upon its reports hang
many stock board speculation and on the
predictions Of its bureaus depend comfort
and financial success.
Other departments of the government,
especially those that have been so promi-
nently before the nation during the past
three years. the State, war and navy, all
seem TO have lapsed into the routine and
taken a rest after three years of unusual
activity The Agricultural Department,
which to some extent has been held in re-
tirement by the more spectacular perform
ances In national and international fields
has now come to the front and engages the
attention OF the public, which seems re-
lieved TO drop the discussion Of wars and
international complications and turn its
thoughts to crops. forestry the weather
and kindred subjects handled by Secretary
Wilson's great department.
The agricultural dominates in Washing
ton even, city supposed to be far re-
moved from rural tastes and habits The
clatter OF the moving machine, the swish
of the scythe and the odor of freshly cured
hay are heard and met with right in the
heart OF this capital city. Secretary Will
sons department has several experiment
gardens and fields within the shadow
of the Washington monument and there
are acres and acres Of public reservation
in what is known as 1.-The Mall" where full
crops of genuine timothy hay grown
cut and cured by government employees I'M
der the supervision of the superintendent
of public buildings and grounds.
Colonel Bingham, a distinguished army
officer. has change of all this public prop
erty and for the summer he assumes the
character OF a gentleman farmer and over
sees the moving and curing of this hay
crop. The product OF these public acres is
stored away in the barns and stables where
public officials keep their teams and the
choicest stacks are devoted TO the use OF
the Presidents own horses in the stables
attached TO the executive mansion.
TESTING SEEDS AND FRUITS.
Over on the Potomac flats a large reser-
walton, reclaimed from the Potomac by a
system of dykes and dredging. is a con-
siderable farm where Secretary Wilson
makes tests of seeds and fruits. The scenes
on this river bottom are such as may be
found in a5y truck garden region near
large cities. There are growing nurseries
OF trees of all descriptions all varieties
or grain, corn, potatoes, beets and Vege-
tables of every description There experi-
grating, budding, crossing and otherwise
improving upon the natural fruit and seed
The country at large gets the benefit OF
all these experiments, which are duplicated
in more than fifty experiment: stations
throughout the country
Much of this advanced farming and ex-
perimental work has been perfected by the
present secretary OF agriculture. James
Wilson. who is just now making consider
confident hot
the time is soon coming when the United
States will be able to produce everything
of her own territory. Mr.. Wilson is a
skillful. practical farmer, who personally
has been success financially and other
educated, progressive Scotchman possessed
OF all the hard-headedness and persever-
apce or bis race. His own farm in Tama
county, Iowa, Is model and shows what
intelligence and scientific management can
accomplish II is said TO be worth about
Mr.. Wilson is an enthusiast on agricul-
ture. and his optimistic predictions of the
future OF the United States in crop raising
and development of new crops are made
with the utmost confidence. He is seeking
no notoriety by his proclamations but Is
telling the people OF the United States what
he honestly believes will soon be accom-
plished- The advances in experiments he
has made in the Agricultural Department
have been without any thought of personal
ACKNOWLEDGMENT but solely for the general
welfare OF the country. He was born in
Scotland, and consequently cannot be ac-
cused of harborng a presidential boom. his
foreign birth precluding such ambition.
400 ACRES FOR EXPERIMENTS.
While Secretary Wilson has done much IN
the way of experimental tests in farming
in and about Washington there is a project
now under way which Will put the depart
ment in the possession of an adequate farm
for all these experiments. BY the authority
of Congress some four hundred acres OF
the Arlington estate will be converted into
a model farm and experiment station. This
farm lies along the bank OF the Potomac
Just east of that part OF the estate now
used for a national cemetery. The historic
Curtis and Lee mansion looks down upon
its western border, while the TALL Washing
ton Monument casts it's shadow almost
across the blue Potomac anc touches the