X REPOET OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



and climates are adapted to many things that have not j^et been intro- 

 duced to them. Department explorers are searching the Old World 

 for whatever is valuable there and useful here, with results that are 

 quite encouraging. Our aims are to help toward the production in 

 the States and Territories of everything their soils and climates will 

 permit, and to help our new island possessions to grow whatever prod- 

 ucts require tropical conditions. 



Our growing commerce is accompanied with danger from invasion 

 of animal and plant diseases and parasites calling for vigilance on the 

 part of Department scientists to keep them out and to deal with them 

 when they cross our borders, as they occasionally do. 



My last Report showed that the Department was paying $12,600 a 

 3"ear for rent of buildings. It is now pajdng $21,700, and the amount 

 will increase as the work increases. It would be good business policy 

 to adopt a plan of building adequate to the future needs of the Depart- 

 ment, and to authorize the erection of so much of it as would provide 

 for the offices that are now housed in the city wherever room can be 

 had. The sum necessary to provide the rent, at Government rates of 

 interest, would be ample to begin with; besides none of the buildings 

 now in use are fireproof, and we have materials that have accumu- 

 lated in our laboratories, in addition to a unique library, that could 

 not be replaced if destroj^ed by fire. 



WEATHER, BUREAU. 



Forecast Warnings. 



The past 3'ear affords gratifying evidence of the value of forecast 

 warnings of the Weather Bureau in saving life and property. People 

 of other nations express appreciation of our Atlantic weather forecasts. 

 The universal appreciation of this service in giving ample warning of 

 the approach of severe storms or hurricanes or of killing frosts is 

 highly gratif3"ing and affords ample testimon}' of the assertion I have 

 made on previous occasions that the value of property saved from loss 

 repays to the country many times over the cost of maintaining the 

 Bureau. 



Substantial increase was made in the distribution of daih^ forecasts 

 through the rural free delivery, although efforts in this direction were 

 circumscribed for want of funds for the purchase of necessary supplies. 

 On August 1, 1902, there were in operation about 10,000 rural free- 

 deliver}' routes, serving approximately 1,000,000 families. For the 

 reason stated, only 105,000 families, served by about 1,000 routes, 

 could be furnished with the forecasts of the Bureau. According to 

 the estimates of the Post-Office Department, there will be in operation 

 July 1. 1903, 15,000 routes, serving approximately 1,500.000 families, 

 representing a population of over 7,500,000 people. The distribution 



