Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-16
.HOKE SMITH DISCUSSES
NEW AGRICULTURAL BILL
Points Out Features of Great
Value and Benefit to
Southern Farmers
ny RALPH SMITH.


WASHINGTON, May 13.-The agri-
cultural appropriation bill, which al
ready has passed the house, has been
perfected in committee and is about
ready for consideration by the senate.
Besides making provision for the main
tenance of the department of agricul-
ture and liberal allowances for extern
sion work in state colleges of agricul-
ture, the bill carries appropriations to
combat the spread of the boil weevil in
the cotton states and to pursue many
lines of scientific and practical investi-
cation which it is believed will prove
helpful to the farmers of the country.
Senator Hoke Smith, who is member
Of the senate committee on agriculture,
today talked interestingly concerning
new features of the bill-features which
he thinks will be Of great service to the
farmers of the country.
IMPROVED MARKET FACILITIES.
1.-THE bill contains four new features
said the senator. "as follows:
"First-You know two years ago We
established a market division in the ag-
ricultural department The first year
1t simply had appropriation enough to
organize and study problems of service.
During the present year the appropria-
ton was substantially enlarged. Now,
in the present bill, we will give this
bureau additional money with which
to inquire as to the condition of markets
in the chief cities of the United States
and furnish this information by tele-
graph, if necessary, to different parts of
the country to aid producers on the farm
to reach with their products points
where prices will be best.
I'VE will also add a distinct division
of this bureau intended to cooperate
with division in tha qRrfcul |.
tural departments of the different
states. To illustrate: There should be
conducted in the agricultural department
in Atlanta a division devoted to gather
ing information about farm products
throughout the state which the farmers
desire to market. This division should
help put the farmers in touch with
places in Georgia where their products
could be sold. 1t is proposed now tc
give a special fund to the bureau OF
markets here to cooperate with the
market divisions of agricultural depart
ments of the different states to helI
place the products of the farmer not
only in his own state, but all over the
United States where they will bring
the best prices.
"Second-We will provide for expert
mentation by the department of agri
culture in the separation of the potash
salts from the kelp which grows witt
such wonderful luxuriance upon the Pa
cific coast. This plant is a sea plant
of immense size and great length. WheI
dried it consists of % per cent pure
potash salts. The plan is to have the
agricultural department work out al
economic separation of salts from the
balance of the material so that the salt;
can be shipped at the least possible
freight cost by water through the cana
to the Atlantic seaports. We believ'
that it will be possible to lay down OF
the Atlantic coast potash salts from
kelp at 25 per cent less than 1t cos
before the war. The benefit to tn,
farming interests would be very great
COTTON WAREHOUSE SYSTEM.
"Third-The house has added to the
agricultural appropriation bill substan,
TALLY the cotton warehouse bill which
we passed through the senate two year
ago. 1t is intended in part to enable
the cotton owner to utilize a warehouse
receipt when his cotton is deposited ir
government SURPRISED warehouses
which will give to his receipt a mar1e'
value not heretofore possessed. This
We believe, will help keep cotton from
being rushed upon the market as 1t il
| gathered in the fall, and at the. same
time make it easier to obtain money
on the warehouse receipts, and also hell
the sale of cotton by the ease will
which it could be sold through the sal,
of the warehouse receipt.
"Fourth-We passed twelve month:
ago a bill compelling the New Yorl
Cotton Exchange to do business under
contract which required sellers of cot
| ton on the exchanges to deliver only
cotton covered by government stand