Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-06
DEPARTMENT AGRICULTURE.
Has Grown Into a Great Educa.
tional Institution

Has Grown Into Great Educa.
iional Institution
The department OF agriculture has
grown into an educational institution
with a faculty Of two thousand special
lists making research into all the scleu-
Ces Of production. The Congress ape
proprlQtes. directly and indirectly, ak
millions Of dollars annually to carry on
this work II reaches every state and
territory iu the Union and the Islands
OF the sea lately come under our flag,
Cooperation Is had with the state
experiment stations, and with many
other institutions and individuals. The
world Is carefully searched for new
varieties OF grains, fruits, grasses
vegetables, trees, and shrubs, suitable
to various localities In our country;
and marked benefit to our producers
has resulted.
TILLERs OF THE SOIL
The activities Of our age In lines OF
research have reached the tillers Of the
soil and inspired them with ambition
10 know more OF the principles that
govern the forces Of nature with which
they have 10 deal. Nearly half Of the
people OF this country devote their en-
orgies TO growing things from the soil
Until a recent date little has been done
TO prepare these millions for their life
work. In most lines Of human activity
college-trained men are the leaders, The
farmer had no opportunity for special
Ia,
vision for II 40 years ago, During
these years progress has been made
and teachers have been prepared over
FIVE thousand students are In attend.
ance at our state agricultural colleges
The federal government expends ten
millions Of dollars annually toward this
education and for research In Washing
ton and Ia the several states and terri
tories. The department OF agriculture
has given facilities for postgraduate
worl, to 500 young men during the last
seven years preparing them for adj
vanced lines Of work IN the department
and IN the state Institutions
METEOROLOGICAL FACTS,
The facts concerning meterology and
It's relations 10 plant and animal lie
arc being systematically inquired into
Temperature and moisture are cOntroll-
ing factors IN all agricultural opera
tons. The seasons OF the cyclones OF
the Caribbean sea and their paths are
being fOrecasted with increasing accu'
raoy. The cold winds that come from
the north are anticipated and their
times and intensity told 20 farmers
gardeners. and iruiterers in all south
ern localities,
ANIMAL PRODUCTS SOLD.
We sell s25O.OO0 900 worth Of animals
and animal products to foreign countries
every year. In addition to supplying
our own people more chnply and
abundantly than any other nation is
able to provide Tor Us people. Sue
cessful manufacturing depends prin-
arily on cheap food, which accounts
to a considerable extent for our growth
I'm this direction. The department OF
agriculture, by careful inspection OF
meats, guards the health of our people
and gives clean bills OF health to de-
serving exports; II Is prepared 10 deal
promptly with imported diseases Of anil
mails and maintain the excellence Of
our nocks and herds In this respect
There should be an annual census Of the
live stock OF the nation.
PLANT PRODUCTS SOLD.
We sell abroad about $500, 100000 worth
OF plants and their products every year
Strenuous efforts are being made TO
import from foreign countries such
grains as are suitable TO our varying
localities. Seven years ago we bought
thrce-fourths OF our rice; by helping
the rice growers on the gulf coast to
secure seeds from the orient suited to
their conditions and by giving them
adequate protection, they now supply
home demand and export to the Islands
OF the Caribbean sea and TO other rice
growing countries Wheat and other
grains have been imported from Light
rainfall countries 10 our lands In the
west and southwest that have not
grown crops because OF light precipita-
ton, resulting In an extensive ADDITION
20 our cropping area ana our
home-maklug territory that can not
be irrigated, Ten million busnels
OF frst-class macaronl wheat
were grown from these expeTl-
mental importations last year.
fruits suitable 90 our soils and climates
are being imported from all the coun-
tries OF the old World-the hg from
Turkey. the almond from Spain, the
date from Algeria, the mango from In
dla. We are helping our fruit growers
TO get their crops into European mar
llets by studying methods Of preserva-
tlon through refrigeration, packing,
and handling, which have been quite
successful We are helping our hop
growers by importing varieties that
rpen earlier and later than the KINDS
they have been raising thereby length
cnlng the harvesting season. The cot
ton crop OF the country is threatened
with root rot. the bollworm, and the
boil weeyll our pathologists viii hnd
immune varieties that Will resist the
root disease. and the bollworm can be
dealt with, but the boil weevil 10
serious menace 20 the cotton crop. IL
IL a Central American insect that has
become accimated In Texas and has
done great damage, A scientist OF the
department OF agriculture has found
the weeyil az home Ia Guatemala being
kept IN check by an ant, which has
been brought 10 our cotton fields for
observation. It is hoped that It may
serve a, good purpose,
SOILS OF THE COUNTRY.
The soils OF the country are getting
attention from the farmers standpoint,
and interesting results are following.
We have duplicates OF the soils that
grow the wrapper tobacco IN Sumatra
and the filler tobacco In Cuba. II viii
be only a question OF time when the
large amounts paid to these countries
will be paid 10 our own people. The
reclamation OF alkali. lands Is ptuETass-