The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-01

Continued from Page Seven.)
 Numerous instances are given of the val uable work being done by the stations. with the suggestion that, if possible. au- ditionaI financial aid should be provided | by the National Government. He reports that special appropriations for the better equipment and maintenance of the aeri-
 cultural colleges aggregating over N,2so,-
 600 were being made by the States
 The Agricultural Colleges.
 The attendance at the land-grant col- leges for the year 1909 aggregated 4e.s0D
 students, of whom 6,2s9 were In agricui-
 tural- courses. The graduates of these in-
 stitutlons in 1902 were 4,443 and since their organization over 50.00o Considerable ad- vancement was reported in the way of
 secondary and elementary schools of ag-
 rtculture. The agricultural high schools in Wisconsin have been so successful that a provision has been made for an in-
 creased number by the State Legislature.
 Schools are about to open in California and Massachusetts, and in the Report of
 the Association of the American AEricul- | tural. Colleges ana Experiment Stations he strongy recommends the introduction
 of courses in agriculture into the high schools. The Department Is now equipped
 with farmers institute specialist, and
 Is preparing to render practical aid to the important work of farmers institutes throughout the country.
 Good Country Roads.
 Important work Is reported from the
 Ofice of Public Road Inquiries especially
 in its cooperative work, most of which has been undertaken with local or State
 authorities, agricultural experiment sta-
 tions and some of the good roads asso- citations. In this cooperation the Depart
 ment furnishes only the services of it's
 road experts materials being supplied and other expenses paid by the other factors
 in the work. The Secretary points out the
 intimate relation which exists between good country roads and the rural free
 delivery. and argues that communities
 which would enjoy the latter must make and maintain the former. --' Spread of Cotton Boil Weevil The invasion of the cotton -boll-weevil has been a special menace to the cotton
 crop and has awakened widespread appre.
 hension as to the future of this crop. In
 addition to the excellent work of the Dl- vision of Entomology in combating this
 pest. the Bureau of Plant Industry has during the past year done considerable
 work with view to securing. if possible. early and resistant varieties by breeding and selection. Notwithstanding all that
 has been accomplished, however, the boll-
 "oSNh 10 SOASeNhSAy oPaOOAAh8 hOASh oAAN east. and 1t seems but Q question of time when 1t will reach all the cotton-growing States. The country is thus confronted with a very great problem. as the invas- ion of this insect necessarily means a complete revolution in present methods. The Secretary reports that after a per- sonal visit to the South and thorough canvass of the situation with representa- tive men in Congress and with others he is of opinion that a cotton-investigation fund should be appropriated for immediate use in connection with this problem He be- lieves that not less than s600OO0 should be appropriated and made Immediately avail- able to make this work comprehensive and thoroughly effective. and he enumer- ates in detail ten problems to the solu- tion of which these funds should be de- voted. Should this recommendation be carried out, his plan of work would be to utilize and combine the efforts of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Divis- ion of Entomology. for which he recom- mends reorganization as a Bureau, with the addition of the advice and co-opera- tion of one or two thoroughly practical men in the two States most interested. namely. Louisiana and Texas. The Secre- tary of Agriculture. he adds. should have full authority to organize the work for the sole object of securing the most ina- mediate practical results.