The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-10-19
THE GOVERNMENT AT WORK
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BY FREDERIC J. HASkIM

agriculture 10 more widely known
through the man II Its head than
through It's own reputation-the
bureau OF chemistry. presided over by
that eminent Humanitarian chemist,
DR.. Harvey w. Wiley In addition TO
supervising the enforcement Of the
pure food law, the bureau has many
other duties. Recently II examined
Ito samples OF American wines, with
a view to ascertaining what might be
done In the direction OF improving the
American product. Careful studies are
made for the solution of the problem
of impure milk. In the enforcement
OF the pure food law thousands Of
samples OF food products are examined
every year. and many Of these examin-
atoms require the most exacting chem
ical experiments. Few drugs former
ly were brought into the United States
In pure state. but through the activ-
tiles OF the bureau Of chemistry drug
adulteration has almost ceased. 1t
was DIR. Wiley who established the
now famous poison squad" composed
OF young volunteers from the various
departments. They were given free
board. agreeing to eat only such food
as was prescribed by Dr. Wiley. His
studies In this direction covered a
number OF years and In large meas
ure were responsible for the pure food
law now on the federal statute books
II Is the province OF the bureau Of
soils TO make surveys OF soils In given
communities, upon the recommends
ton OF members OF congress. These
surveys reveal what fertilizers are
needed on each farm and what crops
can be grown most advantageously.
More than 27000O square miles OF agri-
cultural land has been surveyed In
this way since the inauguration Of the
work In 1899. Seven hundred kinds
or soils have been found on the farms
surveyed. There is little danger Of
the farming lands of the nation be-
coming exhausted. This Is shown by
the experience Of European countries.
In the middle OF the sixteenth century
European farms were producing about
as much grain and hay to the acre a.
the American farm produces today.
Today the European production IL more
than twice as great TO the acre a.
ours. Minute investigations show that
after thousand years Of crop yield
Ing the meteorological composition Of
the soils OF Europe Is not preceptibly
different from that Of similar soils in
virgin parts OF the United States.
The bureau Of entomology deals
with the economic relations Of the
bug creation to the farm. II has been
wrestling with the gypsy moth and
other pests which threaten to do vast
damage. Last year the bureau clean
ed three hundred miles OF roadway In
New England 10 make II impossible for
the moth caterpillars to fall upon pass
ing vehicles and thus travel to new
fields. II has developed a spraying
formula In which arsenic is used. 1t
imports parasites from other coun-
tries, for the purpose Of preying upon
the pests OF various kinds. In ex-
change for the parasites which are
imported from the other countries,
the bureau sends some Of our
TO those countries. Lately 1t has sent
lady bug beetles to Spain to eat the
Spanish mealy bug, dog tick parasites
to South Africa, and humble bees to
the Philippines. The bureau works
for the subjugation Of every harmful
insect. and has succeeded largely In
its efforts
The relations Of man and the AMI.
NAL kingdom occupy the attention Of
the bureau Of the biological survey. II
strives to ascertain what birds and
animals are harmful to agriculture and
to learn what species assist the farm
err. The bureau Is waging q crusade
against rats. mice. ground squirrels,
prairie dogs and other rodents. II has
made exhaustive experiments with
traps. bats, and poisons. 1t estimates
that the ground squirrels OF California
alone destroy $10.000,000 worth or
farm products In the course of q year,
besides being carriers OF the bubonic
plague. The bureau Is encouraging the
raising OF muskrats and pronounces
their flesh highly edible. 1t has issued
bulletins on such subjects as deer
farming and fox farming. II super
vises the importation OF birds and
mammals, and has oversight over the
fifty-one bird sanctuaries Of the coun.
try, into which no hunter may go. It
also has charge OF the 20,000-acre ma
tional bison range.
The bureau Of statistics gathers and
publishes the crop statistics Of the
country II has q corps Of $4,000
crop reporters. Their reports are
summarized monthly by board and
carefully guarded SO that the Informs
ton may not get out ahead Of time.
There Is also an Office In charge Of
the experiment station work Of the
country and another which handles the
national phases of good road improves
ment in the United States.