The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-01

instruction on these subjects increase rapidly.
 Advance in Preparation of Weathe Charts.
 A distinct advance by the Weather Blu reau Is noted in the preparation of dait! weather charts at three different levels L e., the sea level, and at the s,500-foo and 10,0oO-foot planes. So far. this i'm provement is confined to the barometrs' pressure, but it is most important to SC cure charts of the temperature on thu two upper planes. as well. and unfortun ately these can be secured only by means of balloon and kite ascension. A Meteorological Observatory or
 Blue Ridge Mountains. '
 It is proposed to establish at Mount Weather, Bluemont Va, a modern mete- orological observatory of the best class A building for administration and a schOol of instruction is now being constructed and there will be a suitable power house and shop for balloon and kite ascensions The Weather Bureau Is preparing to study at first hand, variations in solar activity and correspondig changes in weather con- ditons from season to season. This wi. require the best instrumental equipment students, and long series of observa. lions. The importance of the results will justify all efforts to that end.
 Flood Warnings.
 Several disastrous floods occurred some of the greatest of which there i. authentic record. Fortunately, the De partment's warnings were prompt ana timely in the most remarkable degree and no dangerous flood was unheralded
 Increase of Weather Information Z Among Agriculturists. An increase of nearly 200O0 Is shown ir the nrlrnhar nf ix,fre by telephone without expense to the gov. ernment, thus securing a rapid extension Of weather information among progres sive agriculturists.
 New Buildings. The Secretary reports the erection o1 several buildings for the use of the Weather Bureau throughout the country and strongly recommends the continu- ance of this policy.
 Foot and Mouth Disease. The campaign for the suppression oi the root-and-mouth disease in New Eng land is reviewed at length. Operations were begun Dec. 1. 1902. and the last dis. eased herd was slaughtered May 9, 1903 The cooperation of the several States was prompt and complete. The number of animals slaughtered was 4,461, ot which 3,S72 were cattle and the rest hogs. sheep and goats. The department aliotted W per cent. of the appraised value as indemnity, the Secretary esti. mates the total cost of. the eradication of the disease at less than $3O0,0 900. The stock raisers of the country were saved from a great calamity by the successful termination of this work A general ex. tension of the contagion over the country would have caused cattle ralsers direct losses aggregating hundreds of millions of dollars, while indirect losses from re- strictions on traffic and embargoes or our export trade would have been simply incalculable.
 Sheep Scab.
 Energetic work has been carried or with the object of controlling as effect ually as possible the contagious disease of sheep known as scab. It was deter minted to cooperate with some of the worst infected States and stamp out the contagion on the premises where it ex. ists and propagates from year to year Over 100000 head of sheep have been in spected by the department officials, ant of these, 2.167,002 have been dipped. Re l suits so far have been highly encourag ing.
 Texas Fever.
 In the suppression of the Texas fever 1,bzv,403 cattle from the infected distric and 3s9,52 cattle from the district adja cent havef been inspected, and 66, 116 in fected cars have been cleaned and disin, fected. The efforts of the Bureau of An imal Industry. which has for years beer | endeavoring to discover a practicable