EDITORIAL. 705 



but this does not include, as avus formerly the case, the auiount for 

 l^rinting Farmers' Bulletins, Avhich from now on is carried in tl 

 sundry civil act. The amount there designated for this Department, 

 to include the first cost of the Yearbook and the miscellaneous reports 

 which are made to Con<jress, is $483,750, of which amount $98,750 is 

 for Farmers' P>ulU>tins, and $25,000 for the publications of the 

 Weather Bureau. 



The ()ffi(;e of Public Ivoads received the same appropriation as last 

 year, $70,050, and the Library $28,380, an increase of $2,500. Other 

 items of the act are Office of the Secretary $119,200, Division of Ac- 

 counts and Disbursements $41,790, and contingent expenses $47,000. 



The increase in the appropriation for the colleges of agriculture 

 and mechanic arts is a matter of much gratification to all interested 

 in the progress of these institutions and familiar with their need of 

 additional funds. It reaffirms the policy of the General Government 

 to favor and develop these land-grant institutions, legislation for 

 which has now extended over a period of 45 years. 



The act of 1862 donated to the States and Territories lands from 

 which over $12,000,000 has been realized as a permanent endowment, 

 with over $4,000,000 worth still unsold. The supplementary act of 

 1890 has given them $1,200,000 annually for more than a decade past; 

 and the present act, known as the Nelson Act, increases the amount 

 to each State $5,000 a year for five years, when the appropriation will 

 be double that at present and will be continued permanently at 

 that rate. Although the new measure is carried by the agricultural 

 appropriation act, it will be administered like the Morrill fund by 

 the I5ureau of Education, and not by the Department of Agriculture. 



The appropriation was carried through on the merits of agriculture. 

 The law itself mentions the agricultural work prominently, and the 

 discussion in Congress hinged almost exclusively on the value and 

 growing importance of agricultural education, and the needs of de- 

 veloping that phase of our educational system. These needs in connec- 

 tion with our colleges are very acute, as every one will admit Avho is 

 familiar with the relatively meager equipment in men and materials 

 for instruction in that branch. Now that the methods of instruction 

 have been Avorked out on a broader and more efficient basis, and the 

 desire for instruction in agriculture has become more widespread, it is 

 fair to expect that the land-grant colleges the country over will 

 recognize the opportunity presented by this ncAV appropriation to 

 develop and strengthen agricultural education. 



Press dispatches report the death at Paris, France, March 18, of 

 Pierre Eugene IMarcellin Berthelot, the distinguished French states- 

 man and scientist, whose work contains much of interest and value to 

 agriculture. 



