The times., 1901-04-28
ITS USEFULNESS EXTENDED
The Agricultural Department Plans
for the Future.

improvements sTnde Possible by
Liberal AppropriutiOn-A Partial
Reorganization of the Scientific
Divisions-A New Building Needed.
The appropriation made for the Agricul-
tural Department for the year l9ol-l9J2 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 scheihe
for the partial reorganization Of the scleh-
tifc branches Of its work. Three Of the
Divisions nave been raised 10 the grace
of Bureaus and a number Of other Dl-
visions have been amalEamated in one
large Bureau of Plant Industry cores
ponding in a general manner to the Bu-
Teau 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 inst-
tuition on behalf OF the farmer and stock
raiser Starting first as a kind of acces-
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
tions, thereby charging the field of use
fulness Of the new department.
The growth Of the Agricultural Depart
ment has been constant and uninterrupt-
&c. 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 a counterpart in any
other country, and there are said to be
few, if any, scientific organizations which
number so large an aggregation OF sclent-
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-
thoriues, 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 a prominent expert, is a following
out Of the general divisions into which the
subject of agriculture seems logically TO
fall, 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 Car
dens and Grounds, and is under the direc-
torship of Prof. B. T. Galloway. To this
bureau has also been assigned the sec
tion 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.
close communication is being insti-
tuted in conformity with the appropria-
ton act, between the different divisions OF
the Department, and likewise between the
headquarters OF the latter and the agricul-
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-
ditional salaries, are: $4,000 for investi-
cations in vegetable pathology and physi-
ology; s20,C00 for pomoiogical investiga-