The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-27

was the department or Agriculture
formerly organized In an Independent
scope and placed in charge of a COM
missioner. Twenty-seven years later 1t
was raised to the position of an execu-
tive department and its chief officers
made member of the cabinet. About
that time the Hatch act was passed,
providing for agricultural experiment
stations Since then it's growth has
been rapid and uninterrupted. In
creasing appropriations year after
year demonstrate the fact that its
usefulness is recognized. AS an insti-
tuition for agricultural investigation
raising the aVocation of farmers to
its ancient and honorable sphere of
dignity, 1t stands without a counter
part in any other country There are
few, IL any organizations in the world
which number so large an aggregation
of scientists and experts devoting their
undivided attention to investigation
and research. Four new bureaus have
recently been added to the weather
bureau and the bureau of animal in
dustry. Their creation Is a following
out of the general divisions into which
the subject of agriculture seems log
ically to fall, associating such lines of
work as relate closely to each other
and providing for closer cooperation
created bureau of plant industry en-
braces the divisions of botany, vege-
table physiology, and pathology, agros-
tology, pomology, and gardens and
grounds, also the section Of seed and
plant introduction and experiments in
tea culture. An expert in horticulture
will shortly be added to the number
of specialists now employed. This
bureau has received the largest appro-
priation of any, as the scope of it's
work requires. A novel feature of its
botanical Investigations in the study
of useful plants of the new tropical
territories of the United States, to-
gether with the plants likely to be of
value for introduction into those Sec
tons of Uncle Samuels enlarged pos
sessions.
Among a thousand side issues, so to
say, of which the world bears very
little, but whose results will be of
incalcuable benefit to future genera
tions, the Bureau of Chemistry is to
ascertain the reason Of deterioration
of export grain, particularly in ocean
voyages, and remedial measures con-
sidered. This bureau employs scien-
tific aids selected exclusively from
among the pupils Of agricultural
colleges. The Bureau of Chemistry is
also charged with the duty of in
vestigating food pregciN atoms and
coloring matters, to determine their
relation to digestion and to health,
and to establish the principles which
should guide their use. A few DAYS
ago Washingtonians were surprised
by an advertisement in the local pa
pers calling for twenty young men
and women in perfect health to do
nothing but eat. OF course there were
hundreds of applicants, but barely
the required number could pass the
rigorous physical examination. The
successful candidates are now being
Experimental on, under the care of
doctor. and allowed to eat only things
in the line of scientific inquiry. They
are In no danger of being injured, and
may be said to have a soft snap"
In the way Of employment.
The bureau of soils is devoting IT.
self nowadays mostly to the extension
OF tobacco culture. The Bureau OF
Animal Industry includes inspection
OF daily products for expectation 10
foreign countries, with a view Of