Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-28

In l84l the Agricultural Society Of
the United States was formed. After
one meeting this organization broke
up, to be succeeded in 1852 by the
United States Agricultural Society.
This organization Immediately became
the great champion of the idea of a
Department of Agriculture.
Begins to Be Recognized.
The Federal Government began to
recognize the national status of agri-
culture almost in spite of itself. In
1927 consular agents abroad were
asked to collect and send to America
foreign seeds and plants that might
be useful in this country. No means
was provided, however, for distributing
or making any use Of these seeds.
This was remedied, however, with
the establishment of the Patent Office
in 1886. The first commissioner.
Henry Ellsworth, took it upon himself
to collect and distribute the seeds.
A single clerk was sufficient for the
job, devoting few days year to it.
A few years later, however, an ento-
mologLst was added to the Patent
Office staff and the Government made
its first appropriation for the relief
of agriculture This man, Townsend
Glover, was picturesque figure
among the scientific pioneers in Wash
ington. A blight had struck the
Louisiana sugar cane. He went to
South America to gather harder stock.
A scale infested Florida citrus trees.
Cd nit |, oil
sprays to overcome it,
Out of this Office grew the present
Department of Agriculture with its
thousands of employees and hundreds
Of diverse activities. A part-a small
part-of its function has been that OF
regulatory organization. 1t has been
the executive agent for enforcing
various laws. such as the Pure Food
and Drugs Act. and various measures
for plant and animal quarantine. 1t
has been the disbursing agent for
Federal funds to the States and the
| farmers-a role which became Its
apparent chief reason for existence in
the last few years. The number Of
employees was vastly increased and
eclipsed the old-time bureaus in the
public eye
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Chemistry
and Soils. the Bureau Of Animal
Industry the National Agricultural
Research Center at Beltsville and a
score of other divisions kept quietly
at work just as they had done in the
past-protecting and increasing the
| food supply Of the American people.
1t is highly probable that history Of
the United States century hence
will devote barely a footnote to the
Agricultural Adjustment Administra-
| ton and several pages to the estab-
lishment of the Research Center at
Beltsville.
Scientific Work Continues
| Whatever criticism may be directed
at some of the financial policies of the
Department of Agriculture under the
present administration, the fact
remains that some of the greatest
scientific progress has been made
during the last five years Secretary
Wallace himself is primarily scien-
fist. The project closest to his heart
has been none of the economic inno-
vations, sound or fanciful. 1t has
been the genetic survey-the intensive
effort to separate the good from the
bad blood in cattle, horses. pigs, hens,
corn, wheat, petunias and guinea pigs
He has been trying to find lines of
hogs which actually will transmit the
qualities of producing good pork and
bacon. rather than that of winning
blue ribbons. The farm crisis will
pass The increased and cheaper food
supply which will come from Secretary
Wallace's work will remain as an ever
lasting benefit to mankind We owe
our pork and our beef to some Henry
A. Wallace of the Stone Age. 1t
would be hard to conceive of human
being to whom we owe more.
Promotes Beauty, Too.
The Department of Agriculture
never has subscribed to or acted upon
the long exploded fallacy that man
lives by bread alone. A large part
of its service has been that o, en-
riching the farm home in the in
tangible things of life. 1t has beauti-
fled the farm wifes garden. 1t has
provided, through its All clubs and
other organizations. education and in
spiration to farm boys and girls. 1t
has labored to make the drab, clap
boarded farmhouse thing Of beauty.
1t has searched the world for new
flowers. Men have given their lives
to the production of new roses-per-
, haps as important in the long sweep
OF time as new varieties of wheat.
But only recently has come its
greatest responsibility, that of Gus
todian Of Americas natural resources.
For 200 years they were squandered
| like water-game. soil fertility, forests.
Nobody apparently dreamed that they
were really worth preserving. Only
, in the depths of the depression did
Americans wake to the realization
, that they had been tossing away the
worlds richest heritage The Depart
ment of Agriculture had been warn
ing OF what was sure to happen for
many years.
] Given Back to Nature.
As result millions OF acres. ex-
hausted and wrecked. have been given
back to nature. They have been
thrown into national forests and game
preserves as an investment for the
future. A few more years and they
might have been lost beyond recov-
cry for many generations, useless to
man or beast.
Americans are often described as
the worlds most wasteful people.
Half Chinese village might live
on the average American family's
garbage pail. The same has been
true, to an even greater extent. with
its agriculture. A large percentage
of the products Of the farm has been
thrown away. The department is now
engaged in intensive research to ind
uses for these wasted products to
add to the income of the farm. That.
after ALL is the most constructive
means of farm aid
It has had heavy responsibilities