Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18
BY GEORGE II. DACY.

greSS created the United
~ States Department of Agri-
culture, scientific research
institution which from a small begin
ming has developed into the largest
enterprise of its kind.
If you will thumb the time stained
congressional chronicles of 1862, you
will find that the Federal farming de-
partment was organized primarily as
a center of scientific investigation. 1t
was delegated through its technical
research to lead American farming
fcom the darkness of miscellaneous
food production into the light of stand
ardized agricultural prosperity.
Today the mantle with which the
War of Secession Congress vested the
Department of Agriculture has
changed its spots so as 10 be hardly
recognizable Created as the scientific
farming core of an eVergrOwing ma
ton, the Department of Agriculture
has graduated into a road builder.
economist, policeman. wid-animal
hunter. homemaker and news agency.
1t is modern Handy Andy of
mounting multiplying tasks. Which is
not as it should be.
Research Blazes Trail
Americas forward march in farming,
which has carried il to the van of the
worlds agricultural procession, has
been generated by agricultural re-
search New and more efficient ways
of performing traditional tasks, better
crops to grow. larger fiocks ana nerds
of pure bred live stock to raise, inn
proved rotations 10 follow, shorter
roads TO market. the agricul-
tural schooling of the younger gen
cration-these are but few Of the
multiplicity of achievements credited
to scientific agriculture.
Uncle Sans first farming bureau
PLAYED its role of scientist so well that
from then to now every succeeding
Congress has been delegating to the
Department of Agriculture new du-
ties. These extra Jobs" have incu-
hated SO many problems, puzzles, and
perplexities that soil, chronological,
horticultural, plant and animal eX-
perts have been called from their re-
search laboratories to solve them.
Essential research has had to take
back seat in the scientific farming
show, so to say.
The point has been reached where
Congress by its curtailments in agri-
cultural appropriations seemingly
seeks to blot from the picture the pur-
pose for which it originally established
the Department of Agriculture-scien-
tific research. Last year only 6.5 per
cent of the total agricultural appro-
priation was available for research
purposes. The 1927 allotment for that
technical field of endeavor was meas
urably smaller than that of 1921.
Jardine Stresses Research.
Il have said repeatedly" remarked
Secretary Jardine in a recent address.
that the time has come for real
enlargement of our research work.
The American Farm Bureau FEEDER
alton, the National Grange, the Amer
lean Beet Sugar Manufacturers As
sociation, the American Cane Sugar
League. the American Dairy Fedora
ton, the American Seed Trade Asso-
citation, the Automobile Chamber OF
Commerce, the National Gamers AS
ISOLATION, the National Fertilizer Asso-
citation, the National League of Com
mission Merchants, the National Lum-
her Manufacturers Association, the
Tanners Council of America and many
similar organizations have urged Con-
Grass the Bureau of the Budget ana
President Coolidge to increase the
annual ANTE" for scientific agrlcul-
tural research.
what cost agricultural research?
What has it accomplished? DO the
Woodworking farmers who hold the
pillow handles or pilot the tractors pene-
fit from it's quests and conquests?
DIR. A. f. Woods, formerly dean OF
tho Minnesota and Maryland Colleges
Of Agriculture and now director of
scientific research of the Department
of Agriculture, says that for every
dollar which Uncle Sam has expended
for agricultural research this country
ar large has reaped a measurable an
rual return of $500. This amounts to
"a 600 per cent return on the. invest
ment.
Small Ratio Shown.
s"The department" continued DIR.
Woods. spends SIC, 100000 a year for
research. while the As State expert
ment stations which conduct technical
investigations under the supervision
of the department eXpend similar
amount. This makes a total of $40.
600 900 used each year in defraying
The total expenses of scientific farming
research. This sum is small as meas
ured in terms of the capitalization of
the industry which it represents. Amer
ica's agricultural assets now add up
10 the stupendous valuation of S60O00,-
OOO. 900. Our annual gross farming in
come amounts to $12. 500, 100000 Only
cultures gross capitalization is de
voted to research.
This outlay for scientific studies,
said DIR. Woods, pulling several record
books from his desk, lis really not an
expenditure at all, but one of the best
Investments which the Government
ever made. The annual returns from
this investment amount to in excess
of $500, zoe, 900:
"At a cost of 81 900 ,000 the Bureau
of Plant Industry has completed 20
research projects which have made
possible a yearly saving of $500 100000
bv our agricultural industry and other
Industries related intimately to agri-
culture. The Bureau of Animal In
dustry has expended $4,000 on re-
search which now saves more than
So. 000. 900 annually. Facts discovered
NV the Bureau of soils at a cost Of
$50. 900 have a possible annual value
of S21 .O00, 900 Twenty-siX completed
nroiects of the Forest Service costing
s317.O00 annually have an estimated
value of Sl87. 900 900 Investigations
nv the Bureau Of Public Roads along
the line of more economical construc-
tion and maintenance costing 100000
a year have a potential annual value
OF $158. 100000"
Other Large Returns.
"The Bureau of Chemistry seven
completed projects, which cost $780,
A24 are resulting in an estimated an
nal saving of $4,000, coo. Continu-
ing projects costing approximately
s-R 000 a year have an estimated po-
entail value Of more than $ll,000,0O0
The research dollar as invested by
,.,,1,r Uncle Samuel in the promotion
scientific agriculture has yielded
such annual dividends as would de-
,eoralize the average industry. DR.
Woods carefully tabulated data which