The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-12-09
Half Billion Acres of Land Is In
der Cultivation.
CAPITAL OF 20 BILLION DOLLARS
Horny Handed Granger-over Half
the Population of the United States
Have Homes Down on the Farm.

reference to the educational work of
the department, which he says has
grown in effectiveness since his last
annual report. He finds that the de-
mands of many public institutions for
men to conduct research in scientific
fields and for ability to manage agri-
cultural enterprises, encourage young
men to take advantage of the oppor-
tunities thus afforded.
''The educational work of the de-
partment of agriculture has grown in
effectiveness since my last annual re-
port" says the secretary "The OPP
portunity offered to young men to
fit themselves for special lines of
experimental work under the imme-
date care of our most experienced
scientists are being sought by greater
numbers every year. The influence
of the department is extending
through cooperation with scientists
of the experiment stations of the sew
eral states and territories and the
isles of the sea under our flag. The
demands of these institutions for
trained men to conduct research into
so many fields of inquiry and of pri-
vate individuals and companies for
the best organizing and supervising
ability to manage agricultural enter
prises encourage students to prepare
for doing this work
The teaching of the science of
agriculture and the sciences related
to it is receiving more attention in
the colleges instituted for this pur-
pose, many of which in the past have
neglected their full duty in this re-
gard.
Research by the department Off
cials into the principles governing
the growth of plants and the creation
of new species by hybridizing to give
varieties from which to select for
new purposes has brought crafty
ing results. We have new fruits and
localities that have been needing
them for many years.
1--WE are helping people in many
localities to an intelligent knowledge
of their soils and of the most profit
able uses to which they may be de-
voted. results are showing the value
of this service. The best sugar lands,
rice lands, tobacco lands, truck lands
and lands best adapted to particular
fruits, grains, grasses, legumes and
other crops are being discovered as
certainly as any other unknown thing
is brought to human knowledge for
the first time.
Few of the plants of most value
to our people are native to the United
States. They are products of, other
countries and have been useful for
long periods of time. Our various soils
and climates are adapted to many
things that have not been introduced
to them. Department explorers are
searching the old world for whatever
is valuable there and useful here,
with results that are quite encourag-
ing. Our aims are to help toward
the production in the United States
and territories OF everything their
soils and climates will permit. and
to help our new island possessions
to grow whatever products require
tropical conditions.
Our growing commerce is accom-
panied with danger from invasion of
animal and plant diseases and para
sites, calling for vigilance on the part
of department scietists to keep them
out, and to deal with them when they
cross our borders, as they occasional
ly do.
"My last report showed that the
department was paying $4,000 a
year for rent of buildings. It is now
paying $21,70O, and the amount will
increase as the work increases. 1t
would be good business policy to
adopt plan of building adequate to
the future needs of the department
and to authorize the erection of sc
much of it as would provide for the
offices that are now housed in the
city wherever room can be had. The
sum necessary to provide for rent, at
government rates of interest, would
be ample to begin with; besides
none of the buildings now in use are
fireproof, and We have materials that
have accumulated in our laborator
les, in addition to a unique library
that could not be replaced if de
stroyed by fire"
In concluding his report, Secretary
Wilson says:
In the industrial progress made
by the United States during recent
years there has been no more con
spicuous feature than the growth Of
of agriculture. It is doubtful if the
magnitude attained by our farming
interests is generally known. Ac
cording to the reports of the twelfth
census, the fixed capital of agricul
ture, comprising the value of the lant
and improvements, of Implements
and machinery, and of live stock
amounted in 1900 to about twenty
billions of dollars, or four times The