Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-22

StThte with labor rendered, the man
must dominate first of all through the
gray tissue of his brain, his hands be-
| ing willing servants to do his bidding
| So complex have grown the conditions,
so intricate have become the. rela-
tions, SO far-reaching are the posi-
bilities that, today, single-handed the
individual must fail. Only through the
combined knowledge coming through
| many sources, through the laborato-
| ries and tried experiments, as well as
| from the workers on the land, can one
| hope to grasp and solve, to his own
satisfaction, or the good of others, the
| Vexed questions today connected with
| the growing Of stock and crops, maxi
| ing of products, and best disposal OF
same.
The service the government is aim
| ing To render has become necessity
! In the life of the farm, east. west,
north and south. AT the same time
we must admit that farm practice has
| failed TO keep pace with research work
on the land or in the laboratory. the
department Of agriculture had its orr
gin in the farsighted wisdom of Wash
ineton.
ont of this has grown the greatest
agricultural department on the face OF
the globe, with its spirit of paternal-
ism extending year by year over all
Departments of urban and suburban
life. it's benefits realized by all classes
and it's evils not overlooked by those
whose fingers are on the public pulse
and who are alive to the possible Gan
gers of our present situation.
IT is well as we review the history
or tna growth of Government alu
IA agriculture 10 hold clearly III hiiitu
that not fifty wears have passed SINCE
tbie work had its inception 1t IS Il
wonderful story of progress in scleh-
ti6c research and of benefit To tiliers
of The soil everywhere and in all de-
,,artmcnts. In 1863 q Maine farmer
wrote the Department: Your month";
~ reports give me Just the lhlorifa-
tion / have wanted for years" In
1864 Commissioned Newton 1Eehe~ea
bie suggestion of the previous year
that the state Of the weather AT ulI-
ferent points be daily Forwarded py
telegraph so that they could be III
mediately spread over the whole couh-
trv. when very important and behe-
fetal results might follow Here was
the entering wedge for the present 81.
ficient weather bureau without winch
business of all kinds would shHer
greatly. In fact. from every stand
noint the years already indicated We're
frnitfnl for agriculture and the men
saIacted as leaders, seers and prophets
building far better than they knew.
The Weather Bureau, now SO mn
nortant a factor in all life, urban OF
suburban, had its origin in the collee
ton and publication of meteofologleai
data bV the Smithsonian Institution
and several Departments, peglHIiIiie
early in the nineteenth century.
day every farmer watches Tor liie
morning report TO prepare ior No
days work, and that service IN tiie
near future, will be materially III
creased
In 1873 the first appropriation was
made for the Bureau Of Animal III
dustrv which now comprises separate
branches of work as follows: lnspee-
ton. Quarantine. Pathology, Bioche-
mic. Dairy. Zoology. Experiment sta
non Editorial, and Animal Husbandry.
II makes Investigations as To the eX-
istence of dangerous communicates
neasures for their control ana eN-
tirpation, makes original ihVesllgd-
tons as to the nature and prevention
of such diseases, and reports on Tue
condition and the means oil improNihs
the animal Industries of the country.
In 1901 the Bureau Of Plant lnuus-
try vas formed. which includes Pom
ology, Agrostology, Botany, Fegetaple
Physiology and Pathology. its worn
being 10 study plant life in All IT'S
bearings upon agriculture.
The relation of forestry to agricui-
ture or the part trees play IN the con-
servation of moisture is not, cannot
be appreciated by those living IN Tue
open. Only as we note the changes
which each decade marks in our rivers
and streams can there be any reallza-
ton Of our dependence upon the for
ests for the maintenance of fertility
in our fields.
The establishment of the Bureau or
Soils gave us department directly
interested with investigation. survey
and mapping of soils. also the cause
and prevention of the rise of aikaii
in the soil and best methods OF drain
age. Experience has taught that ut
!
| tie reliance can be put upon SOIL an
alysis in crop production, because OF
the wide variations within limited
areas. but in the broader field there
Is opening the possibility for ser
vice. the volume and value OF when
no man can today appreciate.
The Bureau of Entomology obtains
and disseininates information regard
| ing Injurious insects affeeting field
crops, fruits. small fruits, and truck
crops. forests and forest products. and
| stored products; studies insects in re-
lation to diseases of mhn and other
animals and as animal parasites. ex-
periments with the introduction OF
| beneficial insects and with the fungus
and other diseases Of insects; ana
conducts experiments and tests with
insecticides and inseetieide machinery.
| 1t is further charged with inyestiga-
| tons in agriculture and sericulture'
| The information gained is dlssemin-
ated in the form of general reports,
bulletins, and circulars.
The office of experiment stations