10 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OP ACIRICULTURE. 



Seven hundred acres of Eg^yptian and other long-staple cotton are 

 being grown on the Colorado lliver in southern California, under 

 research conditions that give good promise of eventually supplying 

 the demand for such fibers. Thread makers of Europe are here 

 inquiring into future supplies of long-staple cotton. The market 

 waits for the scientist to do his work. 



When the Panama Canal is open for business our bulbs and beet 

 seed will come from the Pacific coast. 



The leading specialists of the Department of Agriculture educate 

 their assistants. The outside world wants them and pays more than 

 the law permits being paid in the Government service. 



The food and drugs act is exacting on department time; 1,459 

 violations were sent to the Department of Justice during the last 

 year — 25 per cent more than in the year before. Jail sentences are 

 now being imposed. 



Our farmers get only half crops on the average, or 10 tons of 

 beets from an acre. They are learning how to farm intensively and 

 will grow twice this tonnage in a few years, when they will not 

 fear reduction of duties. 



Our dry-land problems will be measurably solved through alfalfas 

 from Siberia and nonsaccharine sorghums from Africa. 



Congi'ess has given us law to keep out diseased and insect-infested 

 plants. 



Farm demonstration in the fields is being organized in all the 

 Northern States, Congress providing. 



The field is the best classroom for instruction in practical agri- 

 culture. 



Department study of poultry and eggs will help to get these foods 

 to market in good condition. 



The sea is the great reservoir of potash. The kelp plant gathers 

 it. "We gather the kelp and extract. 



Two feet of woven wire and three barb wires keep dogs out of a 

 sheep pasture. Dogs outnumber sheep in many States, and we have 

 not learned to eat dogs as they do in some European countries. The 

 reason given by most farmers why they do not keep sheep is " the 

 dogs." Kansas had, in 1910, 175,000 sheep and 199,000 dogs, Coburn 

 tells us. 



