Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1905-01-13
ANNUAL REPORT.
Secretary Wilson States some TIRE.
mendons Fncts OF AgricuIture.

magnitude of agriculture in this coun-
try. All of the gold mines Of the en-
tire world. the secretary says. have
not produced, since Columbus discover
ed America. a greater value Of gold /
than the farmers of this country have
produced in wealth in the past two !
years. Agriculture has produced the
unthinkable value of nearly $5,0O0O00,- !
600 within a year
Leading Items of Department Work.
The secretary enumerates among i'm
portant features OF the years work Of
the department Of agriculture the fol-
lowing: The extensive cooperation
with agricultural stations; the taking
Of preliminary steps to conduct feeding
and breeding experiments; the war
waged against the cotton boil weevil
and against cattle mango; plans for
education of engineers in road build.
ing; the production Of hardy orange,
a hybrid Of the Florida orange and the
Japanese trifolianta; valuable research
in successful shipping Of fruit abroad:
the value of nitrogen fixing bacteria;
successful introduction Of plants suited
to light rainfall areas; establishment
Of pure food standards; the extension
of instruction to our island possessions
to enable them to supply the country
with S200,O0O,OO0 worth of domestic
products, now imported from abroad.
Increase In Farm Capital.
Reviewing the increase in farm cap
ital the secretary estimates it con-
servatively at $2,0000OO,00O within
/ four years-this without recognizing
the marked increase in the value Of
land during the past two years. The
most startling figures shown as illus
trating the farmers prosperity are
those presented by deposits in banks in
typical agricultural states. The secre-
tary selects for this illustration Iowa,
Kansas and Mississippi. Taking all
kinds of banks, national state, private
and savings. the deposits increased
from June 30, 1896, to Oct. 81. 1904, in
Iowa, 164 per cent; in Kansas, 219 per
cent, and in Mississippi, 301 per cent
in the United States 81 per cent.
Plant study In Public schools.
Special efforts have been made to
NANpAAaSN AAt EANNa VI pants III AAAt
public schools. The secretary argues
that our system Of elementary educa-
ton leaves no impression on the child's
mind Of the importance, value and use
fulness Of farm life, while in many
ways he is brought early into contact
with facts pointing TO the value Of
commercial life. He calls attention to
the rapid advances made in agriculture
along all lines and notes the need for
bright young men in this field. which,
he believes, offers opportunities as
great as any other.
ROadmnlsing.
Object lesson roads have been con
structed with the cooperation Of the
Office Of public road inquiries in Ar
kansas, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia ana
West Virginia. These were mostly
first class macadam roads 1t has also
co-operated at several points in the
south in constructing experimental
roads Of a mixture of sand and clay.
In the absence Of stone and gravel this
. mixture may be used to great ndvan
tage. Much has been accomplished dur.
ing the year in the development OF
[ good roads by the state aid plan. In
connection with the subject Of road
! materials the secretary urges the de
, STABILITY of school for road building
in connection with the department. the
students to consist Of men who have
{ already received degrees from reputa.
bic engineering schools.
r Plant breeding.
, Much important work has been done
; In plant breeding. Great advances have
been made in securing new and desirs
+ BILE long staple cOttons. Important re
! suits have been obtained in the breed
p ing and improvement Of corn and OF
s oats and potatoes. Some of the mos
Z important investigations in breeding
and selection have been inaugurated il
connection with the growing of to
bacco.