The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-01

other varieties. Excellent results have | followed the cooperative work of the | Bureau of Plant Industry and the Bu- reau of Forestry in the study of methods | of timber preservation and seasoning. Vegetable Fibers.
 | The importation of vegetable fibere | amounts to more than $oO000, 900 annually and is constantly increasing. There are areas in this country well suited to the | growth of flax and hemp, but our far mers must produce fiber of equal or su- perior quality to the foreign product, and at lower cost. Reduction in the cost of production must be brought about by the introduction of improved methods of handling the crops.
 l Improvement of Grain-G Grading | Methods.
 | The department is striving to secure the general adoption of more accurate and systematic methods of grading grains. The Secretary recommends a thorough study of our principal crops to determine the best locality for seed production, and | the advantage or disadvantage of chang ing seed from one locality to another. Ar arrangements have been made with many farmers in various sections where forage plants are needed to grow a small area of some crop known to be valuable in that section, and in this way much in- terest has been created in comparatively new crops, especially in cotton-growing States In addition, a number of small demonstration farms have been estab- lished upon which grasses and forage crops are grown under the supervision of the department officers. A number of new legumes have been secured and are being propagated to obtain seed for use in introduction work in the near future.
 American Fruits in Foreign Markets
 It is of the utmost importance to the orchardist that he should have infor- nation regarding the characteristics of fruit varieties, .neir particular require- ments as to soil and climate their suita- bility for particular uses, such as ship ment to distant markets, canning, drying, etc. The Pomologist and his force are engaged fin accommodating the results of individual experience throughout the country so as to be able to furnish such information. special study has been made of the conditions affecting fruit marketing and storage, especially in con- nection with the export trade, and ex- perimental shipments have been made in order to determine the suitability of the variety and the requirements of consum- CTS. It has thus been demonstrated that the Bartlett pear can be successfully and profitably shipped across the At lantic and sold at an advance over home prices. Elberta peaches and several va rieties of summer apples from Delaware have been landed in London in prime condition, A notable event of the year was the inauguration of direct shipment of American water apples to Paris from this department. The russet varieties were found to have the preference.
 Tea Culture.
 Work in tea culture investigations con- tinues at Summerville, N. C., and a new station has been established at Pierce. Texas. At Summerville, though the sea- son has been somewhat unsatisfactory, the yield of tea will probably approximate 5000 pounds.
 Recognition of the Practical Value
 of Forestry.
 The Secretary congfatulates the De- partment and the country upon the re- cognition by the lumber interests of the United States that forestry has for them a practical commercial value. This con- dition has been brought about by the efforts of the Bureau of Forestry to deal with the concrete facts of a problem of national importance. Not only has a sur prising interest in the subject been evil denced among lumbermen generally. but many lumber companies have already be- gun to put it's plans into operation.
 Advantages of Cooperation with
 Private Owners.
 The extensive cooperation of the Bu- reau with private owners is shown to be greatly to the advantage of the Govern ment. It results in the accumulation of vast mass of information gathered mainly at the private expense of the own ers and the possession of which makes it possible to continually enlarge the field of forestry. If the Department does not put forth every endeavor to introduce conservative management among private owners the public interest must suffer. Wood Preservatives and New Meth
 cd of Gathering Turpentine.
 The Bureau is conducting experiments along lines which have received the en- thusastic approval of engineers, construc- tors. and others, in determining the strength of timbers. It has discovered how to treat cheap woods with preserva- lives SO as to substitute them for more expensive kinds. It has inaugurated q new method of gathering crude turpen- tine. whereby the yield is nearly doubled with but small expense for labor, and the life of the tree is greatly prolonged. This has been accomplished mainly by the use of an apparatus designed by an employe of the Bureau
 Work on Public Lands. A large amount of work has been dOHe by the Bureau of Forestry on public lands Selection has been made and ap- proved of 104,159 acres in the Chippewa Indian Reservation in Minnesota. The rules which will control the numbering in this reservation have been prepared and have received the approval of the Secre- tary of the Interior. At the request of the Secretary of War. a working plan for the timber tract at West Point was pre- pared. This plan is now being put into effect under the supervision of the For ester. Working plans were also prepared for three Indian reservations in Wiscon- sin. Applications have been made by pri- vate owners for assistance iD N cases, of which 37 were for timber tracts and 57 for woodlots. III its cooperative scheme for assisting private owners. applications have been received altogether for the management of over 56OO,0OO acres. Forest Investigations. Forest investigations in 1903 were car ried on in the following States: Mary | land, Texas. Missouri. California, Ohio Iowa, Michigan and Montana. Insects | harmful to trees In the East, South and West were studied in cooperation be '. tween the Bureau of Forestry and tho Di- l vision of Entomology. It has been esti- mated that insects every year destroy | $1O0 GOO worth of timber.
 Tree Planting.
 Plans for tree planting were made for | 6S applicants in 9 States. These plans involved the examination of over 10000 ] acres of land. Tree planting continues on | the dismal River Forest Reserve of Me- braslxa and the San Gabriel Forest Re- serve of California.
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