The citizen., 1911-06-30
MARYLAND
STATE
HAPPENINGS

create between Baltimore and WASH
ington a forest reservation which is
ultimately planned to contain some
$4,000 acres of land. Fanciful as is
the project, it has been warmly in
dorsed by the American Civic Asso-
citation.
Senator Smith has carefully inyes-
tigated the matter before preparing
his bill. He recognizes that while
the measure may pass the Senate
even at this session. it has no pros
pect whatever OF favorable action in
the House al the extra session, while
the outlook for the bill at the regu-
lar session is problematical.
That the bill will pass the Senate
seems certain, for despite his brief
service in that body Mr.. Smith has
already won a degree of influence
that renders certain the success of
any measure in which he is inter-
ested
The bill provides altogether for an
appropriation of s2.000,000, $780,
600 for the fiscal year ending June
13, 1918, and 100000 for each sue
ceeding year until June 13, 1916. II
creates a commission TO be known as
the National Forest Demonstration
and Experimental Commission, which
Is to be composed of the Secretary of
War, Secretary of the Interior, Sec
retary of Agriculture. two members
of the Senate, TO be named by the
Vice-President, and two members OF
the House OF Representatives to be
named by the Speaker.
Under the bill the Secretary OF
Agriculture is authorized and direct
ed to have examined and surveyed
lands north of the Potomac River
and adjacent TO the District of Co
lumbia. He is further directed to
acquire these lands by purchase or
condemnation. All of the land thus
acquired is TO be within 80 miles of
the District of Columbia and to be
suitable. in the judgment of the Sec
retary OF Agriculture, for the pur-
pose of national park. as we'll as
for forest demonstration and expert
mental work
The minerals and merchantable
timber on the land are to become the
property OF the United States, and if
sold per cent of the proceeds are
70 be given to the state in which the
lands are located, this money to be
used for the benefit of public schools
and public roads The lands ac-
quired ugder the act are to be per-
manently reserved. held and admin
istered as a national forest.
The belief of the advocates of the
plan is that the government of the
United States can make no better in
yestment than the creation and es-
tablishment of this national forest
reserve between Baltimore and
Washington. In the first place It is
pointed out, ii would be accessible tc
every part of the country. and thou
sands of farmers who will never see
the other national parks and reserva-
tions of the government could see
here. without difficulty, the expert
mental farms and demonstrations
which il is proposed TO establish.
Part of the plan is that the Secre-
tary of Agriculture shall make on
the proposed forest reserve expert
ments of practical nature, where
the farmer can see in actual opera
tion the scientific methods of the
department.
: A permanent dairy and farm hus-
bandry experiment station on a large
scale Is being established by the De
partment of Agriculture at Beltsville.
The new experimental farm will be
one of the largest in the country.
Five hundred acres of land have been
purchased 800 yeards east of the
railroad station at Beltsville
Bids were opened at the depart
ment for the construction OF a big
dairy barn, which is designed to
house several hundred head of cattle.
AS soon as the new barn is COM
pleted about 25 dairy cows, with one
or possibly three bulls. will be pur-
chased TO stock the farm. This herd
u
The farm has been partly fenced
in, and 400 acres have been planted
TO corn, peas and beans The land is
poor now, but the agricultural ex-
perts expect to demonstrate to the
Maryland farmer just what may be
accomplished with their land if the
proper methods are pursued. 1t is
the intention of the experts to bring
this poor land to a high state of
fertilization.
The barn for which bids were re-
ceived today will be ample to pro-
vide for future growth OF the herd.
The main storage barn Is to be con-
crete and wood. II will have a south
ern frontage OF 100 feet and will
be 80 feet deep. Two ellis, one of
concrete and one of concrete and
wood, will extend at either end of
the main barn.
fredericksburg with his head and
arms missing. the body of Abner
Charles, farmer, was found under
a cherry tree near his home. three
miles from this town. The dead man
had been missing for over ten DAYS.
William J Brown, a neighbor, had
visited Charles home on several oc-
casions, but though nothing at not
finding him there, as he frequently
went away for several days at a
time. Thursday while ploughing in