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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Observatory, at the Lick, Yerkes, 

 Flower, Dudley and other establish- 

 ments, are the best evidence of success. 

 This book marks an epoch in the 

 history of practical astronomy in 

 America and has more than a passing 

 value. A country that has produced 

 the object-glasses of the Clarks and of 

 Brashear, the sextant of Godfray, the 

 zenith-telescope of Talcott, the chrono- 

 graph of the Bonds, the break-circuit 

 chronometer of Winlock, the diffraction- 

 gratings of Rutherfurd and of Rowland, 

 the mountings of Warner and Swasey — ■ 

 to say nothing of many minor inven- 

 tions and devices — has already taken 

 the highest place in one important field. 

 Who can doubt that the next century 

 will see a corresponding progress in 

 other branches of astronomy? The old- 

 est science may yet find its chief center 

 in the youngest country. 



The annual report of the Secretary 

 of Agriculture has come to be regarded 

 as of special interest to men of science, 

 inasmuch as it is devoted very largely 

 to a resume of the scientific investiga- 

 tion which is being carried on under 

 his direction. The high appreciation 

 which Secretary Wilson has of the 

 economic value of investigation along 

 lines related to agriculture is evi- 

 denced by his cordial support of such 

 work, and the spirit of inquiry which 

 he has inspired throughout the Depart- 

 ment. His practical experience as a 

 farmer and his active connection with 

 experiment-station work before coming 

 to the Department have made him quick 

 to see the application of a new discov- 

 ery and have enabled him in many in- 

 stances to suggest new lines of inquiry. 

 The result has been a wider appreciation 

 of the department as an institution for 

 research, and the securing of greatly in- 

 creased financial support from Congress 

 for its development along this line. It 

 is now recognized by those familiar with 

 it as being one of the largest and best 

 equipped institutions for organized re- 

 search in this country, and in the 

 special lines in which it is engaged it oc- 



cupies a leading position. Some of the 

 newer features which Secretary Wilson 

 mentions are experiments in plant 

 breeding, directed toward the pro- 

 duction of hardier orange hybrids 

 for the Southern States and corn 

 of earlier maturity and more re 

 sistant to drought and smut; studies 

 of the true cause of the fermentation of 

 tobacco in curing, which have suggested 

 important modifications of the old 

 method of handling; experiments in 

 growing Sumatra tobacco in the Con- 

 necticut Valley, with the aid of shade, 

 and the Cuban types of cigar-filler in 

 Texas, the indications for the success of 

 both of which are now considered very 

 promising; the extensive preparation 

 and testing of serums for combating hog 

 cholera and tetanus or lockjaw, and of 

 vaccine for the disease known as black- 

 leg; field and laboratory studies of 

 plants supposed to be poisonous to sheep 

 on the Western ranges, to determine 

 the actual causes of the heavy losses of 

 stock, and to find remedies for poisoned 

 animals: and the investigation of a 

 number of the more troublesome plant 

 diseases, among them diseases of the 

 sugar beet, which are reported to have 

 caused a loss of over two million dol- 

 lars in California. 



The Department's policy of send- 

 ing explorers to various parts of the 

 world to search out new plants or varie- 

 ties likely to prove valuable in this 

 country has already resulted in a long 

 list of promising introductions, includ- 

 ing especially the Kiushu rice from Ja- 

 pan, which, it is believed, will insure 

 the success of the rice industry in this 

 country, and varieties of wheat from 

 Russia, Hungary and Australia, which 

 are superior in milling qualities, resist- 

 ance to rust and yield. The successful 

 introduction into California of the in- 

 sect which fertilizes the flowers of the 

 Smyrna fig, resulting the past season in 

 the production of six tons of these figs 

 of the highest grade of excellence, 

 promises the development of another 

 important industry. Among the larger 



