NOTES. 631 



"A new laboratory has lieeu built for the us^e of students, and theoretical lectures 

 followed by practical teaching are given on botany, elementary and advanced gen- 

 eral histology, morphology, and physiology. Those students who wish to learn 

 gardening as a pastime are. allowed to attend on special days. The course of study 

 in the botanical and horticultural laboratory is under the direction of Prof. E. J. 

 Schwarz. Owing to the satisfactory report of the progress made by the scholars, 

 the board has doubled its grant to the Royal Botanic Society, and now offers twenty 

 scholarships instead of ten. Students readily find situations, and it is interesting to 

 note how many people now employ lady gardeners in preference to men." 



Bills before Congress. — A l)ill introduced into the Senate calls for an appropriation 

 of !?250,000, to be expended at the rate of $50,000 a year, to enable the Department 

 of Agriculture to carry on, in conjunction with the experiment stations in the 

 noncorn-growing States, experiments in the breeding, rearing, and finishing of live 

 stock for market, the introduction and development of horses, cattle, sheep, and 

 swine suitable for such regions and conditions, and the introduction and cultivation 

 of suitable crops and forage plants. 



The agricultural appropriation bill was reported in the House of Representatives 

 February 4, and passed the following day. It carries a total appropriation of 

 $5,711,240, an increase of $233,080 over that for the j^resent year. The chairman, in 

 presenting the bill, stated it to be the judgment of the connnittee that "although 

 the estimates have not in all cases been allowed, the several amounts recommended 

 will be ample to keep all branches of the Department of Agriculture in progressive 

 motion, and will fulh^ meet all the proper and justifiable demands of the country 

 upon the Department." In reply to the assertion of some that the United States is 

 not spending money enough toward the promotion of agriculture, statistics collected 

 l)y the Census Bureau were presented showing that as nearly as could be ascertained 

 the aggregate yearly expenditure for agriculture by the States and Territories 

 amounts to something over $4,500,000, "which added to the $6,250,000 spent 

 annually by the United States Government for the same cause makes a total of 

 $10,750,000 spent annually for the promotion of agriculture. Certainly this is a most 

 liberal figure, and much more than is being expended by any other Government in 

 the world for the same purpose." The bill contains a new clause relating to the 

 experiment stations, which authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture "to 

 coordinate the work of the several stations and the work of the stations with the 

 Department of Agriculture, to the end of preventing unnecessary duplication of 

 work, of increasing the efficiency of the stations and the Department of Agriculture, 

 and to unify and systematize agricultural investigations in the United States." This 

 is in line with the trend of discussion in the hearings of the Committee on Agricul- 

 ture. An amendment to the bill, offered by Hon. H. C. Adams, providing for an 

 increase in the appropriation to the stations along the lines of the bill previously 

 introduced by him, was ruled out on a point of order. 



A joint resolution has been introduced in Congress authorizing the printing of 4,000 

 additional copies of the Report of Irrigation Investigations in Utah, which was issued 

 in a limited edition last summer as a bulletin of this Office. 



Several bills have been introduced in both branches of Congress for the construc- 

 tion and improvement of roads and the establishment of a Bureau of Public High- 

 ways in the Department of Agriculture. Four of these call for an appropriation of 

 $24,000,000 for road building in cooperation with the various States and Territories, 

 to cover a period of 3 years. Another appropriates $50,000,000, and provides for the 

 issuing of bonds for this purpose if necessary. 



Personal Mention. — F. H. King, Chief of the Division of Soil Management of the 

 Bureau of Soils, has resigned to take effect June 30. He was relieved from charge of 

 the laboratory February 1, and will prepare a report upon his investigations. 

 Professor King entered the Bureau of Soils in November, 1901. 



