1138 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



made to allow the vit^itors to go through the Yellowstone Xational Park, which was 

 not originally included in the instructions from the society. 



Considering the prominence of the gentlemen composing the party, and their 

 intelligence in matters pertaining to agriculture, their impressions are intei'esting. 

 In general it may be said that they found much to approve and admire, and that 

 their criticisms were frank and fair minded, although they often failed to take into 

 consideration the local conditions which prevail in this country. They conuuented 

 very favorably upon the work of this Department in general, and especially approved 

 its efforts to solve the practical problems of immediate interest to agriculture. The 

 wide distril)ution of information by the Department strongly appealed to them. 



Agricultural colleges and experiment stations were inspected in Kentucky, Iowa, 

 California, Oregon, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. These institutions were considered 

 well equipped for imparting scientific and practical knowledge, and conseciuently 

 looked upon as one of the greatest factors in the rapid development of .Vmerican 

 agriculture. The methods of teaching stock judging met with hearty approval, and 

 some of the party exi>ressed themselves in favor of more rajtid development of this 

 feature of agricultural instruction in their own schoids. As might have been 

 expected, the military instruction given at the agricultural colleges proved of much 

 interest. Exhibition drills were given at tlie Iowa and Oregon colleges, and the 

 work of the cadets was commended . 



Some surprise was exjiressed that in building up a dairy herd the AnuMJcan farmer 

 evidently considers practically only the milk and butter production, while in Oer- 

 many considerable attention is given to making the individuals of a herd alike in 

 color and in form. The large milk and butter records called to their attention were 

 generally looked upon with suspicion. The method of stabling cows in stalls with 

 short floors and in stanchif)ns was not ajiproved of, although it Avas conceded that the 

 animals might be kept more clean; this, however, at the sacrifice of comfort. 



In studying horse raising and breeding, the greatest interest was exhibited in the 

 breeds of distinctively American character, such as the Kentucky thoroughbred and 

 the standard-bred horses. The desire of the visitors in general was not so nuich to 

 see fine stallions or be impressed with track records, as to find out how the colt is 

 reared, broken, and sold; how nuich it costs to produce a horse, and what is realized 

 for him when ])lace<l on the market. In looking over draft horses, their interest 

 was centered less on imported animals than on the generations jjroduced on Ameri- 

 can soil ami under American management. 



The beet-sugar industry was an object of much interest, and they were favorably 

 impressed with what they saw of the beet fields and factories; but considering the 

 labor and other economic conditions in this country, the opinion prevailed that Ger- 

 many presents certain advantages and that the competition of this country is likely 

 to prove less serious than has been anticipated. 



The agriculture, horticulture, and forestry of the Pacific Coast States received in 

 general most favorable conunent. That section of our country imja-essed itself upon 

 the foreign visitors largely through its diversity in products and its fine tree growth. 

 The reclamation of the "tule" lands in California proved of highest interest. 



Perhaps the deepest impression was made by our forest conditions. The unani- 

 mous verdict of the party was that our management of the trees was extremely 

 Avasteful. Many were of the opinion that the day when the United States will 

 import lumber is bound tocome soon unless a radical change in our methods is 

 made in the near future. The many fallen timbers and the evidences of com]>ara- 

 tively recent forest fires in the Yellowstone Park were an eyesore to the party, and 

 made it impossible for them to fully enjoy one of our greatest natural attractions. 



The general conclusion of the visitors was that while they had seen many interest- 

 ing features of agriculture in the United States, and were highly impressed with its 

 rapid development and progress, the conditions here were so different that very lew 

 of our methods were directly applicable to agriculture in Germany. 



