No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 27 



August, IDOL', be came to I lie Department greatly excited, because 

 of tbe ai)i)earance of this same enemy in his field this year, which 

 threatened the destruction oi' hi.s cioii. The Department immedi- 

 ately notified a prominent entomologist in the State, and requested 

 him to visit this farm, and do what he could to arrest the destruc- 

 tion. His visit saved the crop, which meant to the farmer escape 

 from serious financial loss. There is scarcely a limit to the useful- 

 ness of this Division in assisting agricultural people with advice, and 

 by personal visit, by experts who have been thoroughly educated in 

 the science of entomology. 



A DIVISION OP HORTICULTURE AND POMOLOGY. 



In the absence of any other suitable place in the Department, 

 there was assigned to the care and attention of the Division of 

 Economic Zoology the important branch of our agriculture, em- 

 braced b}' the term Horticulture. The climate, soil and situation 

 of Pennsylvania all combine to make it one of the most desirable 

 States in the Union for fruit farming. No other State produces 

 fruit of finer flavor or of more attractive appearance. Apples, 

 peaches, pears, plums, grapes and small fruits can be grown any- 

 where -in our State with fair success, but if localities are selected, 

 which the State affords, that are specially adapted to the growth 

 of each of these several fruits ar.d their varieties, then we surpass 

 other States, in the abundance, quality and appearance of our pro 

 duct. The Department recognizing the importance in fruit growing, 

 of discovering the kind of soil, elevation, slope, degree of moisture, 

 distance of the water level from the surface, and the climatic condi 

 tions, adapted to the producing, in perfection, of the several varie 

 ties of fruits, started an investigation about one year ago, the re 

 suits of which have been published in Bulletin Xo. 106, to discover 

 the places in our State where each variety of fruit has shown the 

 best results. The bulletin giving this information, it is believed, 

 will be of great assistance in locating orchards, and in selecting the 

 particular varieties of fruit which are adapted to given localities. 



The subject of Horticulture has been so important in our State, 

 that it ought no longer be relegated to a subordinate position in a 

 Division of the Department, to which it is not naturally related. 

 There should be established in the Department of Agriculture a 

 Division of Horticulture, with a Commissioner of Horticulture as its 

 chief, and a clerk as an assistant, so that this great interest may 

 have the help of the State in its development, and be under the con- 

 tinual care of an ofiicer who is an expert in this respect. I therefore 

 repeat my recommendation of two years ago, that a Division of Horti- 

 culture and Pomology be established in this Department, to be 

 equipped with a commissioner and clerk, and provided with proper 

 facilities for carrying on its work. 



