Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-04-29


are fed from the desers. 1t viii in
crease in magnitude of yield AMI
spread of era until our semi-arid
country west of the ninetyninth meri-
dian shall produce the most of our
bread independent of irrigation.
Leguminous Plants.
The reclamation service applies
water. Our problem is above the
bitches. Wheat will not grow every
year as grass will, eithre with or with
out rainfall or irrigation. Our north
ern dry states require some legumin-
Gus plant to rotate with wheat from
a sdry climate and from a cold winter
climate. Agriculture succeeds no
where permanently without legumes.
We found new clovers, grasses and
alfalfa on the seventeen parallel
north, in Siberia, suitable to our north
west that will rotate with grain and
avoid the necessity of summer fallow-
ing, as is now practiced in that coun-
try. One crop in two years is poor
farming.
Control Of Animal Diseases.
Animal diseases properly come under
federal control. since the eradication
of disease in one state is not enough
tuberculosis is less prevalent here
than in any foreign country, but 1t
is more prevalent here than 1t should
be, and the consumers of meat and
milk will soon require its eradication.
The milk of no tuberculosis COW should
be used for human food, and it is en-
tirelv practicable to get completely rid
of it. We inspect all the meats Of in
terstate and foreign commerce, for
home and foreign trade, and without
this we would be shut out of foreign
markets. Beyond peradventure ours is
the best meat consumed by any peo-
pie. as no other nations takes the same
care we do or goes to SO much expense
to secure it,
The National Forest.
We have 14s.0o00o0 acres or nation
al forest reserves in charge of the de-
partment of agriculture for preser-
walton and use, selected from the wood
ed lands of the public domain The
mountains at the headwaters of the
streams are natures first reservoirs.
where trees grow to protect the un-
dergrowth that holds the water until
it percolate into the land, whence it
isues in springs throughout the year.
Where the trees are cut and the sur
face is exposed, as has occurred to
such an extent, the rains wash the
soils down to bedrock, into the valleys,
destroying them, causing higher and
and Lowering the streams between
floods, as the good people of this city
have lately been experiencing We
| have gone too fast and too far in de
Hnuding our mountains of their trees
| Wood is becoming scarcer and dearer
every year. As population increases
we shall be compelled to use more
acreage in its sustentation The trees
viii be planted again on the water
sheds, and dams will be built to hold
surplus water in times of drought, az
is done in older countries. Your rivers
then win be more serviceable in sum
mer and less dangerous in the sprinp
time.
| Insect Friends and Enemies.
We have friends and enemies in the
| insect world They do not observe
state lines. and when introduced init
anypart of our country, the rest of II
/ is In danger. Our annual loss from
| this source is very great. Just now
two insects-the gypsy moth ana the
brown tailed moth--are spreading over
New EenRland; and II not checked
they will infest the whole country
They attack the trees on lawn, street
and forest. The most effective weap-
on against an insect is Its parasite. We
have introduced many thousands of
the parasites of the insects mentioned
and they are doing their work Our
chief entomoiogist is now on his way
to the Crimea for more nests Of tho
parasites. When we are visited by an
insect pest the first move is to asccr-
tain where 1t came from, and then we
bring in also it's parasitic enemy. We
travel far and VIDE for parasites and
we have TO be careful not to bring in
the parasites Of the parasite.
The Soil Survey.
We are studying the soils of the
country. their variations. composition,
and conditions, the crops to which they
are best adapted. and other features
that have been neglected tn past.
Tn scientists of the past have told US
little that is practicable about the
Soils
Meteroiogy.
We have weather observations at
200 stations throughout the country,
which enable US TO forecast conditions
In the interests OF agriculture and
commerce on land and water. but wa
have not made sufficient research In
to the principles that control the
weather. We detect the cyclone that
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