The Mankato free press., 1910-04-22
National and State Promotion Of Agriculture
Paper Science Club Tuesday
Evening. April IL.

in close touch with every section o
the great area which comprises oul
United States. It's work is conducted
very largely along scientific lines anG
through its agencies an immense
amount of statistical information is
collected and disseminated through fre
quent bulletins and summarized in al
annual report issued by the Secretar.
of the department.
The department of agriculture main
tains weather bureau which sends out
daily forecasts and warnings. This in
formation is distributed throughout Hie
country through the medium of the
press and the observations are watched
very closely, not only. by those en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits. but by
all the industrial world as we'll This
bureau records the rise and fall of the
waters in many OF the principal riv-
ers throughout the country; makes
( observations for use in the prepara
tion of data for meteorological charts
of oceans; studies the snowfall i'm
( the mountain regions; makes evapora
tion measurements i'm various parts of
the country and meteorological rec
Ords.
4 The bureau of animal industry deals
with the live stock industry and per
forms as well an important service to
public health through its system OF
meat inspection, in its efforts to i'm
prove the milk supply and through in
vestigation. prevention and eradication
OF disease In both the human and low
er animal families. Animal breeding
and feeding; establishing a classified
r'on for American carriage horses eX-
periments in poultry breeding and feed
ing and the conditions surrounding
egg production receive attention in this
subdivision.
The dairy industry gives another
wide field for work and study in this
department and no small detail of this
very important branch of agriculture
is overlooked in the Investigations pur
sued
To the bureau OF plant industry is
allotted the work of studying crop pro
duction and crop adaptation. The diY
ferent sections OF the country offer rs
many different problems i'm this line of
study. And among the most impOr-
tant OF the work being conducted in
this department is i'm what is known
as the dry farming area, comprising
Il vast territory lying west of the
! Tooth meridian. Every possible effort
is being made through different agen-
cies To settle this territory and as u
result there is great and steadily
increasing demand for Information
regarding the system which is most
successful in the production of crops
that are adapted to this section. Some
thirteen experimental stations are
maintained for this purpose by the de
partment in the states of Montana.
North and South Dakota. Nebra ska
Colorado, Kansas and Texas
Workin" i'm conjunction along this
line, the reclamation service is devel
oping various irrigation projects in
volving the expenditure of large sums
OF money and which will ultimately re-
suit III opening To settlement Il very
large portion OF our country that has
hitherto been worthless, the home OF
the prairie dog and where nothing bu;
sage brush has been able to gain any
foothold in the soil heretofore
The Investigations of this bureau do
not end here but are carried on to an
extent that covers about every point
upon which knowledge is sought or is
desirable in the wide expanse of The
agricultural field and no portion of
the country is neglected i'm this work
This department also provides the
seeds which, through congressional ia
vOr the many constituents OF the
members of our national legislature are
annually remembered at this season OF
the year.
The methods and practices pursued on
the most successful farms throughout
the country are studied through this
bureau and the information gained is
disseminated by the means of demon
strations and experiments of prac-
tical nature. In fact, there is nothing
overlooked that is of value in promoi-
ing the agricultural industry.
The forest service. bureau of chem
istry, of soils, of entomology. of bio
lo"ical survey are also active in the
work developing on each of those
departments and undertake most
thorough investigation of every small
detail coming under their jurisdiction.
The magnitude of the service that is
being rendered by the department OF
agriculture can best be realized by con
sulting the reports of the secretary of
that department. which are rendered
annually. In these the work carrkG
on is reviewed in minute detail and in
a most comprehensive manner. A great
deal of statistical matter is presented
comparisons made and results clearly
defined TIE report for the year 1909
comprises l52 pages and from that
report | have been able to obtain the
information which is briefly summar
lied in this paper as to the national
ar - tie pro"otion of agriculture
While the forces at the command
of the national government are busiiy
cnoa"ed in scientific research and eX
pertinent the various states in their
individual capacity. are promoting the
development of agriculture upon the
very practical lines Of education The
allin" that was looked upon not so
Stunned by very MANY OF those who
we're born and raised on the farm,
miis; lis many hardshipS. has been
elevated 10 u position high in the rank.
oi scientific professions.
The farmer has always been his
own worst enemy in the advancement
of his calling but he is rapidly com
ing To appreciate its dignity and value
to the industrial world. The preiu
dices he INDUCED for so many years
against any new ideas or methods
which advanced thinkers brought ont
are being overcome and he is taking
the pIace in which no nrOnarlv haIonUs