Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1912-09-21
OFFICIALS VISIT CUSTER
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson and
Others on Inspection Tour-Are
rendered Reception.


culture James Wilson, of Washington
d. C., accompanied by Forester Henry
S. Graves, of Washington, ID. c.; Asst
Forester j. B. Adams, of Washington,
d. c.; Smith Riley, Dist. Forester, oi
Denver; C. J. Stahl, Asst. Dist. Forester,
of Denver; c. F. Marbut, Chief of Soil
Survey, of the Bureau of Soils, Wash.
ington, D. c. The general purpose OF
the visit of these distinguished officials
is that they may study the problems oi
forest supervision and soil development
on the spot, rather than by report. This
is not the first trip Sec. Wilson has
made to the Black Hills, and each time
he comes he is more enthusiastic re-
garding the possibilities of the region,
either from the standpoint of mineral
resources, numbering, or agricultural
purposes. Several times during his
visit here, Sec. Wilson has reiterated
his belief that Custer has before it a
future as summer resort that will
make it spot famous all over America.
Wednesday evening the citizens of
Custer, in their characteristic manner,
rendered very successful reception at
the gymnasium to the gentlemen named
above. Local Forest Supervisor R. p.
lines presided, and in his unassuming
manner, spoke briefly of the purpose of
the visitors presence, and after short
address of welcome by Rev. Mrs. Powell,
Sec. Wilson was introduced by Forester
lines. The Secretary is quite an old
man, being now in his 77th year, but he
speaks with vigor and enthusiasm of a
man half bis age. While the circum-
stances made it impossible for him to
60 into any great detail of discussion, he
nevertheless interested his audience by
his explanations of what the depart
ment Of agriculture is doing and how it
is proceeding to interest the farmers in
the great science of systematic farming.
Sec. Wilson spoke of the liberal appro-
priations that are made by Congress for
the purpose of furthering the work of
the department of agriculture, he told of
the important investigations that he and
his subordinates are making in order to
determine what products are best suited
to certain soils. AS an illustration of
this, he mentioned that he had sent
Prof Hansen, of the South Oak ota State
Agricultural College, at Brookings, to
Europe several times in search of vari-
Gus seeds and shrubs so that they might
be made to grow on South Dakota and
other soil in America, where the rain
fall was too scant to permit of ordinary
American farm products, such as timo-
thy, clover, small grain and corn. As a
further fact Secretary Wilson mention
ed that in one case 73 pounds of a GER
tain type of foreign clover seed had cost
the Government, for expense in secur-
ing, cost of trip, etc., about 1000,
about 5000 pound. He pointed out
that while this may seem at first blush
like an extravaganza, it is a valuable
thing to this country, even to certain
spots in South Dakota, where the scanty
rainfall precludes the idea of growing
anything else lin the line of provender)
except this certain kind of clover. The
venerable Secretary went on to relate
the great interest being shown by the
people all over the country in better
farming methods, as we'll as in the al.
most universal custom of dry farming,
and told how the work was succeeding
in the South, where for years slovenly
methods and failure to practice rotation
of crops had so depleted the southern
farmers fields that farming profits were
thing almost unheard of.
In conclusion Secretary Wilson refer
red in very complimentary way to the
enterprise and civility of the people of
Custer City, and expressed his apprecia-
ton of the peoples effort of the evening.
He was followed by Forester Ii. s.
Graves, who is very pleasant speaker,
and while he spoke very briefly, he dis
cussed number of topics of great inter-
est to those present and to all residsn ts
of the Black Hills. Mr.. Graves was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Marbut, soil expert, who
pleased his audience very much by his
brief yet comprehensive discussion of
how a study of the soil means greater
crops and hence greater profits for the
farmer. No thoughtful person who
heard him could longer doubt that there
is as much or more importance in caring
for the soil as in choosing the right kind
of seed.
Yesterday a representative of the
CHRONICLE obtained an interview with
Secretary Wilson and Forester Graves,
both of whom very willingly discussed
the subjects pertaining to their respec-
tive duties. Forester Graves explained
that the insect infection, evidences OF
which may be seen in many of our ma
tional forests, was for long time sub
! ject that seemed to battle those who
studied it, but that now process is in
use which tends to eliminate very rapid
ly the pest. Whenever it is found that
insects are working in a tree they can
readily be exterminated by stripping
the bark from the infected portion ol
the tree, thus killing all the larvae and
young insects. This is possible only
where the area of infected trees is not
SO large that it makes it impossible on
account of the volume of work to kill O
major portion of the insects. For this
reason the Forest Service endeavors tc
locate all insect infected trees and have
the bark removed from them. BY so do
ing the spread of the insects to Other