EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. XXIX 



stockmen in the actual management of selected areas of range lands. 

 To do this it is necessary that we control the grazing of stock on such 

 areas. To this end I repeat my former recommendation, namely, that 

 action be taken by Congress giving you, Mr. President, authority to 

 secure for the experimental needs of this Department such tracts of 

 public range lands as may be necessary for the best interests of the 

 work. 



SOIL AND SAND BINDERS. 



Along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the shores of the Great 

 Lakes, as well as in many inland places, there are to be found exten- 

 sive areas of drifting sand. These shifting dunes of sand frequently 

 destroy farms, cover up farm buildings, and interfere with the operation 

 of railroads. The Department is engaged in investigations having in 

 view the covering of these sand dunes with vegetation to prevent 

 drifting. Several species of plants have been found that can be propa- 

 gated rapidl}^ in this drifting sand. Several successful plantations of 

 these have been made, and others are now being made. Some of the 

 leading sand-binding grasses are grown on an artificial sand dune in 

 the grass garden on the Department grounds, forming a very instruc- 

 tive feature of our outdoor exhibit. From the results thus far secured 

 in other countries we have reason to hope that we may finall}' bring 

 these barren and dangerous sands into useful grass and wood lands, 



CKOPPING SYSTEM. 



This Department is collecting data concerning the systems of farm 

 crops used in various parts of the country, in order to study the rela- 

 tion of such systems to the maintenance of soil fertility. The data 

 alread}^ at hand show that in those sections where a one-crop sj^stem 

 prevails the soil rapidly loses fertility, and there is a large and increas-. 

 ing demand for commercial fertilizers, while in those sections where a 

 system of rotation of crops prevails, particularly a rotation including 

 forage crops to be fed on the farm, the soil continually improves, and 

 commercial fertilizers are not used except on small areas for special 

 crops. I believe that this Department can do much for agriculture in 

 this country by devising suitable cropping systems for those sections 

 where present S3\stems are unsatisfactory, and giving the farmer 

 information about the best methods of utilizing his crops. 



Horticulture. 



experimental gardens and grounds. 



As pointed out in my last report, the Experimental Gardens and 

 Grounds under the reorganization have been made exceedingly useful as 

 an aid to other branches of work carried on by the Bureau of Plant Indus- 



