Evening star., 1937-11-14

the accomplishments of the past rs
years, but consider it far more i'm
portant to lay plans for even greater
achievement in the next 25.
The department was formally estab-
lished July l, 1862, and its anniver-
sary is being celebrated at the meet
ings of the Association of Land Grant
Colleges and Universities, this week
at the Willard Hotel. This associa-
ton, representing the agricultural re-
search and extension work supported
. by Federal-grant funds in the various
State agricultural colleges and ex-
pertinent stations, works jointly with
the Federal department and joins it
in observing the anniversary. To-
gether they will organize enterprises
of closer cooperation to bring about
greater agricultural progress in the
future than has been made in the
past.
That, in itself, would be huge
task. The Department of Agricul-
ture is already one of the largest Fed
eral organizations, and is, perhaps,
the greatest research institution in
the world. The first Federal agency
for agriculture, tiny Division of
Agriculture, established in 1889 in
the old Patent Office, had the sole
purpose of collecting and distributing
seeds to farmers, with an appropria-
ton of $1,000 to carry out its work.
Today nearly 10000 employees car
~ out agriculture's extensive pro-
gram of work throughout the Nation.
Branches of the department spread
to the farthest parts of the United
States and Territories. In 1900
American cities and towns there are
56.517 field workers, while there are
representatives in many remote for
eign countries.
This is the Department of Agricul-
ture today In rs years the organi-
cation and the scope of its service has
grown by leaps and bounds. 1t was
established, not as an emergency
measure to create work, but from
long-felt needs of the American
farmer.
4 MERICA is essentially farming
land and has been since early Co.
ionial days. Agricultural societies ex-
listed in nearly every colony. George
Washington was probably the first
agricultural research worker, as he
carried on a series of studies on his
Mount Vernon estate in 1850. Ben
jamn Franklin, in England as agent
of the Colony of Pennsylvania, sent
back to America mulberry cuttings
and silkworms, and was thus the first
person to introduce foreign plants to
!. our soils.
Public support for the encourage
ment of agriculture was advocated
as early as 1776, when John Adams
introduced to the Continental Con-
gress two resolutions relating to its
improvement. In 1896 President Wash
ington's second annual message to
Congress contained suggestion for
promoting it with support from the
public purse"
Legislative approval was long in
coming. Time and again pleas for a
Federal department were rejected, I'M
til 1889, when two small rooms in the
old Patent Office Building were given
to staff of agricultural workers.
At the suggestion of Commissioner of
Patents Ellsworth, the first appro-
priation of 81 900 was made.
In 1852 Congress finally realized the
necessity for an independent depart
ment. and on May Is of that year
President Lincoln signed the bill for
its establishment. 1t is significant of
the tremendous national interest
which has arisen concerning farm
problems that a year marked by the
stress of Civil War conditions should
see the beginning of Federal spon-
sorship of agriculture.
A great step forward had been
taken, but the new department was
the first commissioner of agriculture,
Isaac Newton, was not allowed seat
in the Presidents cabinet. Recogni-
ton came, however, in 1889, when
Commissioner Norman j. Colman be-
came the first Secretary, and the
Department of Agriculture became an
executive branch of the Government
THE work of the department is de-
signed principally to benefit
farmers through improving agricul-
tural methods, but its wide scope af-
fects every phase of our national life
and every American citizen. 1t would
the vast achievements of its IS years,
but bare outline of the work of the
various branches enables one to see
clearly the important influence it
wields.
Acquiring and disseminating agri-
cultural information is in general the
keynote of the Department of Agri-
culture policy. The 16 major bureaus
engage in research on all phases of
scientific problems, put their knowl-
edge into usable form and distribute
1t to farmers and to other research
agencies.
An information Office is the middle
man. as it were, between the research
worker and the public. This office
prepares and distributes approximate
1y 25,000,000 publications annually
on results of scientific work
in more active and personal man.
ner the extension service, co-operat-
ing with State agricultural agencies,
makes available results of depart
ment work Through field demonstra-
ton and teaching, its workers show
the farm family how to have more
attractive living conditions and i'm
proved civic and social status. The
organization of All clubs, which
teach their members-some 925,000
farm boys and girls-how to become
efficient farmers and homemakers,
Is one of the major functions of this
branch of the department.
The Division of Motion Pictures of
the Extension Service now distributes
over 200 educational films on agricul-
tural subjects. 1t is estimated that at
least 100000 persons each year en-
Joy these pictures, which are produced
at a cost of about $1,000 apiece. The