The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-15

plant life in all OF its relations to agri-
culture; 1t studies plant diseases and
points out methods of treatment; it
studies the life of plants with a view to
improving them. it studies plants in
order to be in a position to intelligently
point the way for the building up of
new industries by the creation of new
crops for certain purposes. the dissent
nation of crops of local value over wide
areas. and the Introduction of new crops
from foreign countries. It studies do
nestle and foreign markets, particular
" those pertaining to fruits, for the pur-
pose Of increasing and extending these
markets in order to increase the profit
from the work. In its organization 1t
has two hundred and seventy-eight
workers, Of which more than one-half
are scientific Investigators. It is con-
cerned, primarily and directly with the
creation of more wealth for the farmer
In brief, its whole effort is in the direc-
ton of pointing the way to making two
blades Of grass grow where but one
grew before.
In its organization. the bureau of
plant industry handles its work by
problems, and whenever necessary il
draws on men trained in different lines
to solve these problems. The corn.
wheat and oats crops of this great sec
ton OF country annually suffer a loss
from one class of diseases alone, viz,
the smuts of from eight to twelve mil
lion dollars. The work of the depart
ment, aided by the efficient efforts of the
state experiment stations. has undOubt-
eddy greatly decreased the damage due
to these diseases in the past few years.
Many Of you are familiar with the very
valuable work inaugurated in this state
at the State Agricultural college a few
years ago in the treatment of smuts
Passing briefly to some other lines OF
work carried on by the bureau, we may
refer to the Investigations being made
IN the matter of. the Improvement of
Il
Introduction of new varieties from for
eign countries.
Most of you are familiar, probably
with the efforts of the department in
the matter Of the Introduction of maca-
rom Wheats. These Wheats have been
known for years, but for one reason or
another they have not attained the
prominence they deserve. 1t has beer
shown that these wheats may be sue
cessfully grown over a large area of our
western country, where the rainfall is
too meager to give the best results with
other types. AS q result of the depart
ments work in this field there We're
grown the past season between one mil
hon and half and two million bushels
OF n1acaroni wheat, and there have al
ready been established in some of this
WheaL buying centers regular grades fOA
the crop. Aside from the fact that mac
aronl wheat is valuable for the purpose
OF nacaronl manufacture, there will evil
IDENTITY be large demand for it abroad
recent publications by Consul Skinner
of France
We import annually from Europe
ABOUT 10 million pounds of macarOni
mace from this type of wheat We can
not only grow all of the wheat to meet
TINS demand but we can produce enough
10 supply the export trade
MI. Galloway referred to the work Of
ms department in introducing new vari-
etles of wheat. more hardy than any
heretofore grown in this country. He
says that the introduction of these
hardy Russian wheats will admit of the
extension of the winter wheat area
several hundred miles further north and
a considerable distance west of the pres
ent boundaries
The bureau has also introduced the
swedish select oats. broom corn, nillet.
and improved forage materials.
The department also devotes. much at
tention to the Improvement of American
markets abroad.
THE NEXT IN ORDER.
The programme which win be carried
out this evening consists of two frlportant
papers, one on Soil Cultivation B" bv A
NJ Ten Eeyck professor OF apric5IIt75re AZ
the Kansas State Agricultural college
Manhattan. and one on The Ideal Wo-
man" by Mrs. Hill P. Wilson of Law
renee.
For. Fridays session the programme is
as follows:
MORNING sEssION-s:3O O'CLOCK.
The Livestock and Agricultural Future
Oberlin
Growing Beef on High-pricad Land
E. A Burnett, professor of animal hus-
bandry. University of Nebraska Lincoln
AFTERNOON SESSION. 40 O'CLOCK.
Election of officers and members
Livestock Husbandry and Agricultural
Prosperity. l. H. Kearricks Bloomington,
Query box.
EVENING SESSION-7:sO O'CLOCK.
Improvement of Farm Crops Prof.
James Atkinson. editor Homestead. Des
Molnes- Ia
Gardening on the Santa Fe Trail" Mrs
Henry Block, Syracuse.