The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1908-02-08
For the Agricultural
Board.
Seventeenth Biennial Re-
port Contains Import
ant Recommen-
datiOns.
SUBMITTED TO LEGISLATURE


The Seventeenth Biennial Report. of
the State Department of Agriculture
is about ready to be submitted TO the
General Assembly by former Commits
sioner vreeland. The report contains.
nearly 1000 pages. The introduce
ton is as follows:
the State Department of Agricultural
mitted to the General Assembly by
former Commissioner vreeland. The
report contains nearly 1000 pages.
The introduction is as follows:
Commonwealth of Kentucky,
Office of Com'r of Agriculture, &C.,
Frankfort, Dec. 81. 1907
To the General Assembly of Ken
lucky:
/ have the honor to submit, here
with, the Seventeenth Biennial Report
the State Department of Agriculture,
embracing the work accomplished by
the state Bureau of Agriculture, Labor
and Statistics and the State Board of
Agriculture Forestry and Immigra-
ton for the two years ending Decem-
Der 81, 1907.
trust that l will be pardoned for
expressing some degree of satisfac-
ton at the results achieved, especially
in view of the fact that the widening
of the scope and the strengthening
of the influence of the Department
has been brought about under adverse
circumstances. While there is every
evidence of confidence in this Depart,
ment on the part OF the farmers and
the citizens of-the~ State, and while
there has been a generous co-opera-
ton on the part Of the people, gen.
orally speaking, there is a condition
existing in the State at present that
has affected the progress of the work
to a certain degree. This condition
is not due TO any antagonism on the
part of any organization or individ-
nails, but is due solely to a misconcep-
tion of the object and purposes of this
Department by some of the farmers.
During the past four years de-
termined effort. has been put forth by
the Department to show the advan-
tages to be desired from the intelli-
gent organization of the farmers for
their common good, and this Depart
ment is in hearty sympathy with all
organizations whose object is to adj
vance the general welfare of the
farmers of the State so long as they
keep within the confines of the law.
Some few persons in the various coun-
ties of the State, however entertained
the erroneous idea that the objects
of this Department are to induce the
farmers to grow more products. re-
gardless of the demand, and Of exist
ing conditions. But l am pleased to
report that this idea is rapidly being
dissipated, and that the members OF
the tobacco associations are begin
ming to understand that the real OBJ
jects of the Department are to in
struct the farmers along the lines Of
growing more pounds and more bush
els to the acre, thus reducing the
cost of labor and putting into the
pockets of the farmers more returns
for the capital invested
During the first two years of my
administration of the affairs of this
office we were handicapped to a de-
gree, not so much by the scope of
the work outlined in the law, as by
the limited funds placed at our dis
posal. The Department had an ap-
preparation of only $4,000 and out
of this amount the salaries of the
Commissioner, the Assistant Commits
sioner, the Labor Inspector and the
Assistant Labor Inspector were paid
leaving a very small sum to be ap-
piled to the general running expenses.
During these two years, however, l
am pleased to report, the work of the
Department was conducted In such
manner as to inspire the confidence
of the General Assembly with the re-
suit that an additional appropriation
OF $4,000 was allowed, and additional
responsibilities were placed on the
Department by the creation Of State