The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-07
THE couNTRY's AGRICULTURE.
The Occupation of Nearly One Half
Its People.

The Occupation of Nearly One Half
Its People.
The Department OF Agriculture has
grown into an educational institution
with faculty of 1000 specialists maxi
ing research into all the sciences Of
production. The Congress appropri-
ates, directly and indirectly, six mill
lions of dollars annually to carry on
this work 1t reaches every state and
territory in the Union and the islands
OF the sea lately come under our flag.
Corporation is had with the state ex-
pertinent 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.
The activities of our age In lines of
research have reached the tillers OF
the soil and inspired them with am
bition to know more of the principles
that govern the forces of nature with
which they have to deal.
Half the People Farmers.
Nearly half of the people of this
country devote their energies to grow
ing things from the soil. Until a re-
cent date little has been done to pre-
pare these millions for their life work.
In most lines of human activity col
lege-trained men are the leaders. The
farmer had no opportunity for special
training until the Congress made pro-
vision for 1t forty years ago. During
these years progress has been made
and teachers have been prepared. over
5000 students are in attendance at our
state agricultural colleges. The federal
government expends ten millions Of
| dollars annually toward this education
and for research in Washington and
in the several states and territories
| The Department OF Agriculture has
| given facilities for postgraduate work
| to 500 young men during the last seven
years, preparing them for advanced
work In the department and in the
state institutions.
The Science of MeteoroIogy.
The facts concerning meteoroIogy
and its relations to plant and animal
life are being systematically inquired
into. Temperature and moisture are
controlling factors in all agricultural
operations. The seasons OF the cy-
clones OF the Caribbean Sea and their
paths are being forecasted with in
creasing accuracy. The cold winds that
come from the north are Anticipated
and their times and intensity told to
farmers, gardeners. and fruiterers in
all southern localities.
We sell two hundred and fifty million
dollars worth Of animals and animal
products to foreign countries every
year, In addition to supplying our own
people more cheaply and abundantly
than any other nation is able to pro-
vide for its people. Successful man
ufacturng depends primarily on cheap
THfh ~ - 60 4 IL.
extent for our growth I'm this direc-
tion The department of Agriculture,
by careful inspection of meats. guards
the health of our people and gives clean
bills of health 90 deserving exports;
II Is prepared TO deal promptly with
imported diseases Of animals. 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.
SGOO,OOO, 900 worth of Plants.
We sell abroad about six hundred
million dollars 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 three-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 ex-
port to the islands of the Caribbean sea
and to other rice-growing countries
Wheat and other grains have been
imported from lght-rainfall countries
to our lands in the West and South
west that have not grown crops because
OF light precipitation, resulting in an
extensive addition to our cropping
area and our home-making territory
that can not be irrigated Ten mil
lion bushels Of first-class macaroni
wheat were grown from these expert
mental importations last year. Fruits
suitable to our soils and climates are
being imported from all the countries
OF the Old World-the fig from Tur-
key the almond from Spain. the date
from Algeria, the mango from India.
Pushing Into Foreign Markets.
We are helping our fruit growers to
get their crops into European mar
kets by studying methods OF preserva-
ton through refrigeration, packing and
handling, which have been quite sue
cessful. We are helping our hop grow
ers by importing varieties that ripen
earlier and later than the kinds they
have been raising, thereby lengthen-
ing the harvesting season. The cot
ton crop of the country is threatened
WIN iOvl iolf tut Dpli WOfn ana the
boil weevil Our Psychologists will find
immune varieties that will resist the
root disease, and the boil worm can
be dealt with, but the boil weevll is n
serious menace to the cotton crop. II
is a Central American insect that has
become acclimated in Texas and has
done great damage A scientist OF
the Department OF Agriculture has
found the weevl az home in Guate-
mala being kept IN check by an ant
which has been brought TO our cotton
fields for observation. n n hoped
that II may serve good purpose.
Improving the Lands.
The soils Of the country are getting
attention from the farmers standpoint.
and interesting results are following
We hafe duplicates Of the soils that
grow the wrapper tobacco ln Sumaffa
and the filler tobacco IN Cuba. II will
be only question 81 time when the
large amounts paid 20 these countries
will be- paid b. our own people. The
reclamation OF aikali lands 10 progress