The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-03
IRRIGATION AND
TIMBER SUPPLY
Practical Subjects of Import
ance to-, the West Dis
cussed by Scientists.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 2.-The
American association for the advance
ment of science today agreed to re-
quest President Roosevelt to appoint a.
physician as a. member of the isthmian
canal commission. A committee was
appointed to secure a memorial to Dr..
Heed, the army surgeon, who perform
ed notable work in improving the sani-
tary conditions in Cuba.
| The feature of the sessions of the
section on social and economic science
was review of the work of the Vari-
Gus bureaus, of the department Of
agriculture by their chiefs Prof. Will
lis, chief of the weather bureau. said
that 1t cost $1,250,Q0C a year to make
the forecast that the frost warnings
of. few days ago ia Florida saved
millions of dollars tc the people Of that
state, and the forewarnfng of a single
cold wave recently saved shippers $4,-
100000. 'i's'N -
In a paper on the sociological aspects
of the irrigation problem, Guy E.
Mitchell expressed the opini9n that the
reclamation of arid lands of America
through government construction of ir-
rigation works would furnish for years
to come an effective outlet for the in
dustrious surplus population of our
great cities. The irrigation of the 100,-
~O0O,O 900 acres of plains and valleys, he
said, will tend to make the small farms
and homes a general rule throughout
the entire country.
Prof. B. E. fF'ernow, of the agricul-
tural department, discussing the tim
Der supply outlook in the United
States, said that a calculation of the
present stand of virgin timber in the
United States Feadycte supply the de-
mand for lumber, showed the improba-
bltlty, If not the ilnpossibility, of the
United States meeting the increasing
demand for lumber another thirty
years, under present methods of utiIi-
zatlon. Even If the entire forest area
| OF 500,OOO,OO0 acres Sniwere still fully
stocked with the average stand to the
acre, as reported by the census in the
holdings of lumbermen - an absurd
proposltion--the stock on hand would
be exhausted within that period.
In paper on the economic value of
| the remaining public land. j. D. Whelp-
ley said that net another acre of public
lands should be sold fer cash or it's
| equivalent. Residence and cultivation
should be required before ian5 could be
| obtained and this residence and cuIti-
walton should be at least five years, so
| as to insure a permanent and not a
speculative interest in the holding.
| DR.. H. fWeily, chief of the chemistry
| bureau Of the department of agricul-
! ture, in a paper said the work of his
| bureau had resulted in the enactment
! of state laws which saved farmers mill
lions of dollars by preventing frauds in
connection with the sale of fertilizers.
| DR.. Weily said that our wheat and
cereal supply always will be adequate
| to our growth. Scientific stock feeding
had made it possible fer stock raiser
| to prepare an animal for the market for
/ one-third less than formerly
Prof. F. T. Galloway, chief of the bu-
| reau of plant industry, said a new
orange had been created in Florida
which bids fair to build UP a new mar
Inalade industry. ~
Today was practically the last day
! of the work Of the association, though
there are various odds and ends to be
! finished tomorrow. The total registra-
ton of members at the present meeting
was 97S, with one exception the largest
! in the history of the association.
| At today's meeting of the Geological
/ Society of the United States, one of the
1 affiliated societies to the association
! addresses were made on the subject of
! VOLCANOES In the West Indies by those
who were on the scene at Mount Pelee
Papers were read by B. T. Hill, ]. w
Spencer, Angelo Heilprin, L C. Russell
G. c. Curtis, Percifor Frazer and e. O.
Hovey. Prof Russell held that the
! principal cause OF death during the
! eruptions of Mount Pelee and La Sou
] fTiere was steam, charged with dust