The Saint Paul globe., 1902-12-04
USING SCIENCE
N FARMING
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
TELLS OF PROGRESS IN THE
PAST YEAR

Co.,
EDUCATIONAL WORK
OF, HIS DEPARTMENT
Forestry, Irrisatien, Food Product In
vestigation, Agricultural Colleges
and Farmers Institutes Come in for
Exhaustive Discussion - Magnitude
of American Agriculture Shown in
Figures.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 3.-sec-
retary Wilson, of the department Of
agriculture, opens his annual report
with a reference to the educational
work of the department, which he says
has grown in effectiveness since his
last annual report. He finds that the
demands of many public institutions
for men to conduct research in sc1en-
tific fields and for ability to manage
/ agricultural enterprises encourage
young men to take advantage OF the
opportunities thus afforded. The teach
ing of the science of agriculture and
Of the sciences relating to it are receiv-
ing more attention in the colleges in
stituted for the purpose, many of which
| have neglected their full duty in the
past.
Some Lines of Department Work.
ing the growth Of plants has increased
varieties to select from. The past year
affords gratifying evidence of the value
of forecast warnings of the weather
bureau in saving life and property.
Ample testimony is afforded that the
value of property thus saved from less
! amounts to many times the cost OF
maintaining the bureau. The secre-
tary urges the desirability Of extend
ing the distribution Of daily forecasts
coextensively with the rural free de-
livery Of the 10000 rural free deliv-
cry routes existing Aug. 1, 1902, it has
been found possible to serve only 1000.
To make the distribution coextensive
with the rural free delivery would, he
estimates, cost about 100000.
Inspection of Animals and Meat.
Under the inspection service Of the
bureau of animal industry ante-mor-
tenn inspections for the year aggregate
nearly 6G,0o0,000, at a cost Of frac-
ton over / cent each. The number Of
post-mortem inspections was nearly
39,000,sG Altogether the value of ex-
ports Of animals and animal produce
tions for the year amounted to $244,&
| 733,G62.
The reorganization of the bureau of
| plant Industry in accordance with the
provisions of the last congress, has
proceeded during the year, everything
now being practically complete, and
the nine main branches CT the bureau
conducted so as to bring forth the very
best results. The, secretary reports the
establishment within the bureau of an
Office of farm management. He an
| nounces it's object as t''the bringing to-
gether in concrete form of all the facts
developed in, the bureau as a whole,
sitting the results and applying them
in practical way where they will do
the most good i,fzf4
Investigations of grasses and forage
crops are of vital Importance to Amer
lean agriculture, and these have shown
during the past year that the main
tenanee of soil fertility is Intimately
associated with the production of for
age crops and their proper utilization
on the farm. The success attending.
the efforts Of the department to intro
duce alfalfa in the clover regions is
most encouraging, and it will be push
ed vigorously the coming year.
Gr5wtk sf Work in Forestry.
Interest in forestry and a perception
of it's possibilities as a great national
resource haveC developed so swiftly in
the United States that the discrepancy
between the CAPACITY for government
service of this branch of the depart
ment and it's, opportunities was never
so great as now.t During the past year
the bureau of7forestry has notably in
creased it's store of knowledge, on
which all forestry depends, and has
made large gains in introducing prac-
tical mana cement of forests of both
public and private ownership. Its field
work has engaged 1852 men and has
been carried on1 in AZ states and ter
ritories. rs
Thirty-seven applications were re-
y
for the mana cement of 100000 acres.
The total area now under management,
in accordance with the working plans
of the bureau, is 372,4e acres.
Studies Of Trees and Tree Planting.
Extensive studies were made of COM
mercial trees during the year, and
studies of the forest and it's Industrial
relations were made in Michigan Ken
lucky, Ohio, Texas, New Mexico, Ari-
zona, South Dakota, Wyoming, Mon
tana, California and Iowa. Among the
questions involved were the present
and future timber supply, forest fires,
relation of the forests to stream flow,
irrigation anG grazing. The bureau
has discovered less injurious method
of turpentine orcharding than that
hitherto employed.
The soil survey has been greatly ex-
tended and the division of soil manage
ment started during the year gives
promise of highly important results.
The bureau of sells now employs a
force of over enc hundred persons, sew
enty-five of whom have had scientific
training.
The methods devised for the analyses
VI SOILS III tuc IlcfC ustVC Eccll oo pSi
fected that the amounts of nitrates,
phosphates, sufzhates ami the like can
be determined to within four or five
pounds Fer acre. one foot deep.
An investigat atipn wes begun during
the year as to THE possibility OF re-
claiming soilsAin the arid regions in
jured by seepags water and the accu-
mutation of alkali. Important work on
this line is being carried out on g.
tract of 40 acres near Salt Lake City.
Arrangements are icing made to carry