GOVERNMENT WORK FOR THE FARMER. 2T, 



" WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS 



DOING FOR THE FARMER." 



By Dr. H. J. Webber, Washington, D. C. 



Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen : I feel some hesita- 

 tion in attempting to explain the work of the Department of 

 Agriculture. Although I have been connected with this in- 

 stitution for the last fourteen years, and have followed its 

 growth from a comparatively small institution to its develop- 

 ment to the enormous position it occupies today, still it is 

 practically impossible for any one man concerned with particu- 

 lar investigations, as I am, to explain many of the details and 

 various workings of that Department. You gentlemen who 

 are engaged in agricultural matters understand that it is 

 necessary for us to specialize in order to make advancement. 

 My specialty has been along the line of plant breeding. There- 

 fore, you will understand that I only comprehend in an indefi- 

 nite way the other lines of work which are prosecuted. Still, 

 I will attempt to explain some of the general features, and if 

 I fail in this, kindly overlook it and take up some of the books 

 and bulletins of the Department that will explain in detail, and 

 very much better than I can do, any particular points about 

 which you may wish for information. 



This department has grown as marvelously as the growth 

 of the farming industry has been marvelous. In July, 1897, 

 the Department of Agriculture employed 2,160 men, while 

 just a few years later, in 1904, the Department employed 

 4,504 scientific investigators and helpers. Besides these we 

 have over a quarter million of special correspondents and co- 

 operators, who are looking up all lines of work. Many of 

 you gentlemen are probably taking part in that. The growth 

 of this Department, however, is simply a reflection of the 

 growth of the country as a whole, and the growth of the 

 agricultural interests. Our chairman spoke of the enormous 

 figures represented by this industry, taking his figures, I sup- 

 pose, from those contained in the Secretary's report. Now 

 let me give you those a little more in detail simply to impress 

 this matter upon your mind. Conceive, if you can, the value 

 of the corn industry. Corn, that little thing that we see every 

 day. We grew last year 2,208,000,000 of bushels of corn, at 



