76 



ornamental trees and shrubs with the view of encouraging the adornment of 

 homes and making them more attractive. 



:Much iufonnation has been given as to the best remedies for the destruction 

 of noxious insects and for resisting the attaclvs of fungus diseases from which 

 grain, fmit, and other crops suffer so much. The subject of no.xious weeds has 

 also been investigated and the best measures pointed out for their subjugation. 



In the chemical division investigations have been conducted on many lines 

 bearing on the agricultural interests of the countiy and the help thus rendered 

 to farmers has been greatly ajiiireciated. 



Much of the practical information gained each year by the lines of experi- 

 ments conducted is given to the farmers in the annual reports and bulletins 

 issued. Many thousand farmers also visit the farms each year. The officers of 

 all the farms also attend meetings of farmers held in different parts of the 

 country, where oi)portunities are afforded for giving fuller explanations con- 

 cerning all branches of the vv-ork in progress. 



In the meantime the upbuilding of agriculture has progressed rapidly and 

 the occupation of farming has been elevated in the eyes of the community. It 

 is no longer looked upon as a drudgery where the dull and slow-going may eke 

 out a laborious existence ; it is now recognized as a suitable field for the exer- 

 cise of the higher intelligence of more cultivated minds, as a calling requiring 

 much skill to conduct it successfully. 



While the demands of the home market for food products are immensely 

 greater than they were twenty years ago. the export of farm products has 

 greatly increased. In 1884 the total export of ^^■heat and flour from Canada was 

 about a million dollars ; in 1003 it was over 20 millions. The export of cheese, 

 which at that time was about 7 millions, has increased to over 24 millions. 

 The export of pork, bacon, and hams has run up in the same time from about 

 half a million to over 10 million dollars. The exports of fat cattle- have more 

 than doubled and large increases have been made in almost every other line. 



There are still o]>i»ortunities for imitrovement. Nowhere have we reached a 

 stage approaching perfection, and I know of no pursuit more noble than that 

 which is so fully represented at this convention, that of striving to add to the 

 happiness of mankind by helping the tillers of the soil by precept and experi- 

 ment to improve their condition, thus making the earth to yield more bounti- 

 fully, producing food products in larger (luantity and of better quality for sus- 

 taining the teeming millions now occupying the surface of our globe. 



The programme conunittee for the college section not having been selected by 

 that section the chairman and the secretary were authorizeil to fill the committee 

 by the selection of one additional member to act with themselves. 



On motion of E. B. Voorhees, of New Jersey, the annual dues of each college 

 and station constituting the association were fixed at $15 for the year 1004-5. 



Indexing Agricultural Literature. 



E. W. Allen, of 4he Department of Agriculture. In the report of the com- 

 mittee on indexing agricultural literature, which was read l^y Professor Hays 

 (see p. 32). reference was made to the indexing of periodical literature relating 

 to agricultural science. This work was undertaken at the instigation of the 

 experiment stations, there having been considerable demand for an index to 

 scientific literature not covered by any indexes we now have. The current work 

 of the periodicals is, as you know, reviewed in the Experiment Station Record, 

 and our indexes at the end of a year or end of the period cover that current 

 work and make it easily accessible. In order that the looking up of work that 

 has been done in the past on particular subjects might be simplified. Miss Clark, 

 the Librarian of the Department, has undertaken, at the request of this com- 

 mittee, to prepare an index of the scientific periodicals published in Europe and 

 in this country relating to agricultural science and has secured an additional 

 appropriation from Congress in order that she might carry on this work with 

 less interference. She has now assigned a regular cataloguer to the work and 

 is going forward systematically. As the report referred to stated, arrangements 

 have been made with the Library of Congress to print these cards. The printing 



