Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-02
EXPERIMENTAL STATION AT THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL is IN.
TEREsTlNe.
is UNDER SECRETARY WILSON'S EYE
Iowa Man Who is Secretary Of the
United States Department of Agr-
culture is Much Interested in the
Progress of the Experimental Farm.
OH. ]. MAHIN.)
Washington Bureau of the Courier.
Washington, D. c., Dec. 80, 1903.

washington Bureau OF the Courier
Washington, D. c., Dec. 80, 1908.
Secretary Wilson is preparing to rec
ommend to congress another appropri-
alton of $4,000 for the experimental
farm which is owned by the govern
ment just outside of Washington.
1t is likely that great many people
never knew that Uncle Sam had a
model farm on which he played farm
er and tried all sorts of experiments
and new ideas every day in the year.
The idea is to try all the novelties and
improvements brought out or suggest
ed in the way of agriculture and ascer-
tain II they are practical. If SO Uncle
Sam will gladly impart his information
to all the other farmers in the land and
let them have the benefit of it. If the
experiment is failure Uncle Sam
says nothing unless it is of a nature
that others may be in danger of max
ing; in that case the failure is herald
ed far and wide through bulletins and
newspapers so that this danger may
be avoided.
Uncle Sam mas been practical far
mer in this way for about three years
and Prof. Beverly t. Galloway who
has had charge of the place is enthusi-
astic over what has been done. He
urges the secretary to secure another
appropriation by all means.
One of the principal features in
which Professor Galloway wants to
continue his experiments is in the
raising of hot house vegetables. The
large profits to be made in forcing the
growth of plants and sending them to
the market out of season has attracted
the special attention Of the bureau. A
portion of the needed appropriation is
wanted for the purpose of building at
least two green houses, 20x100 feet
for the study of the forced raising of
lettuce, beans, celery, radishes, etc.
Professor Galloway says that in some
sections where trucking has become a
staple industry with the farmers the
land is being worked SO hard that it is
in danger of being exhausted. As
many as four crops year are raised
in some places, he says, and cites a
case where farmer by heavy fertili-
cation and forcing Of the land obtained
a net profit of 81 900 per acre on one
crop.
1t is hoped that these experiments
will enable the bureau to give import
ant information to farmers who want
to start in the important and profit
able business of raising hot house veg
etables.
Amateur and professional raisers of
flowers all over the country are also
interested in the request for the ap-
preparation. One of the most import
ant studies in connection with the hot
coal strike last year put coal to such
a high price that many hot houses had
to be shut down, and hundreds of
plants were lost. The government ex-
perts have an idea that any one of the
cheap by-products of the oil refineries
would be excellent fuel for hot houses.
Should these conclusions be true, the
florist or vegetable man will be plac-
ed beyond the reach of the coal trust,
and effect large saving in addition.
-
The experiments on the farm which
are also considered very important in
the mind of Secretary Wilson, are
those relating to general farm work.
These include the efforts to ascertain
whether different kinds and more prof
liable crops cannot be raised in differ
ent parts of the country. Besides this,
the experimental farmers are working
all the time on schemes to assist the
American farmer in his work by show
ing him how to save time and energy,
if possible, and get more results for
his labors.