New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-07

The Department OF Agriculture has grown into
an educational institution with faculty OF two
thousand specialists making research into all the
sciences Of production. The Con-
Agricultural gress .appropriates. directly and
Interests. indirectly, 100000 annually to
carry this work. II reaches
every state and Territory in 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 care
fully searched for new varieties of grains fruits
grasses. vegetables, trees and shrubs suitable to
various localities III our country and marked
benefit TO our producers has resulted.
The activities of our age in lines of research
have reached the tilers OF the soil and inspired
them with ambition to know more OF the prin-
ciples that govern the forces of nature with
which they have to deal Nearly half of the peo-
pie of this country devote their energies TO grow
Ing 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 the leaders The farmer
had no opportunity for special training until the
Congress made provision for it forty years ago.
During these years progress has been made and
teachers have been prepared. Over five thou
sand students are in attendance at our State
agricultural colleges. The federal government
expends S1OOOOOOO annually toward this educa-
ton and for research In Washington and in the
several States and Territories. The Department
of Agriculture has given facilities for post.
graduate work to five hundred young men dur
ing the last seven years. preparing them for ad-
vanced lines of work in the department and 4.
the State institutions
The facts concerning meteorology and its re-
lations to plant and animal life are being sys-
lnUulref ay7H
moisture are controlling factors in all agri-
cultural operations. The seasons of the cy-
clones of the Caribbean Sea and their paths are
being forecasted with increasing accuracy. The
cold winds that come from the north are an
ticipated and their times and intensity told to
farmers. gardeners and fruiterers in all South
ern localities.
We sell S250,0OO,0OO worth OF animals and ami
NAL products TO foreign countries every year, in
addition to supplying own people more
cheaply and abundantly than any other nation is
able to provide for its people. Successful manu-
featuring depends primarily on cheap food
which accounts to considerable extent for our
growth in this direction. The Department Of Ag-
riculture, by careful inspection of meats guards
the health of our people and gives clean bills Of
health TO deserving exports; 1t is prepared 10
deal promptly with imported diseases of ami
mails. and maintain the excellence of our focks
and herds in this respect. There should be an
annual census Of the livestock of the nation.
We sell abroad about S6OOOoOOOO worth of
plants and their products every year. Strenu-
Gus efforts are being made to import from for
eign 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 sup
ply home demand and export 10 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 precipitation, re-
sulting in extensive addition to our cropping
area and our homemaking territory that cannot
be irrigated. Ten million bushels of first class
wheat were grown from these expert
mental importations last year. Fruits suitable
TO soils and climates are being imported
from all the countries of the Old world-the ng
from Turkey, the almond from Spain. the date
from Algeria, the mango from India. We are
helping our fruit growers to get their crops into
European markets by studying methods OF pres
ervation through refrigeration. packing and
handling, which have been quite successful We
are helping our hop growers by importing va
rieties that rpen earlier and later than the
kinds they have been raising thereby lengthen-
ing the harvesting season. The cotton crop Of
the country is threatened with rot, the boil
worm and the boil weevil. Our pathologists will
find immune varieties that will resist the root
disease and the bollworm can be dealt with,
but the boil weevil is a serious menace to the
cotton crop. 1t is a Central American insect
that has become acclimated In Texas and has
done great damage A scientist OF the Depart
ment Of Agriculture has found the weevil at
home in Guatemala being kept in check by
ant which has been brought to our cotton fields
for observation. 1t is hoped that it may serve
a good purpose.
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 SUI
matra and the filler tobacco in Cuba 1t will be
only question of time when the large amounts
paid TO these countries will be paid TO our own
people. The reclamation OF alkali lands is pro-
crossing, to give object lessons 10 our people In
methods by which worthless lands may be made
productive.
The insect friends and enemies Of the farmer
are getting attention. The enemy of the San
lose scale was found near the Great Wall of
China, and is now cleaning up all our orchards
The fig fertilizing insect imported from Turkey
has helped to establish industry in Califor-
mia that amounts TO from fifty TO one hundred
tons of dried figs annually, and is extending
over the Pacific Coast. A parasitic fly from
South Africa is keeping in subsection the black
scale, the worst pest OF the orange and lemon in
dustry in California.
Careful preliminary work is being done toward
producing our own silk. The mulberry is being
distributed in large numbers. eggs are being
imported and distributed. improved reels were
imported from Europe last year. and two expert
reelers were brought to Washington to reel the