EXPER I M ENT STATION RECOR I ). 



Vol. XVII. December, L905. No. I 



The report of the Secretary of Agriculture for L905 departs from 

 the usual form of a progress report for the year, with a result which 

 is unusually interesting. It is noteworthy as being the ninth annual 

 report issued by Secretary Wilson, and owing to this unusual period 

 of service he takes occasion to review some of the more salient fea- 

 tures of development which have taken place in his time and t<< sum 

 up the progress in a Dumber of new lines. It is therefore a progress 

 report for the past eighl years, with such comparisons as are accessary 

 to an understanding of the great change which has been wrought. 



Such a review as this is extremely useful as well as interesting, for 

 it will enable the general reader to get a proper perspective of the 

 Department's work, and furnish convincing evidence to Legislators 

 and others who are watching the growing appropriations for this 

 branch of the Government. Growth has been so steady that it is 

 necessary to pause and view 7 the Department in retrospect in order 

 to realize the extent and character of the changes which have been 

 involved. The appropriations have more than doubled in the past 

 eight years, although it had required over forty years to reach the 

 figure they had attained in L897. This large increase in itself sug- 

 gests the desirability of a report as to what has been accomplished in 

 the upbuilding of a great Federal Department, and in the promotion 

 of agriculture as a national industry. By anticipating a call for such 

 a showing the Secretary indicates his desire to keep the public fully 

 posted in this respect and to still further strengthen confidence in 

 the Department. 



In order that the magnitude of the interests consigned to him. as 

 well as the far-reaching influence of this basal industry upon other 

 industries, may be properly appreciated. Secretary Wilson prefaces 

 his resume with some striking statistics of agricultural production, 

 lie estimates the wealth of production on farms in L905 at 

 $6, Ho, 000, 000, " the highest amount ever attained by the fanner of 

 this or any other country, a stupendous aggregate of results of brain 

 and muscle and machine.' 1 This is an increase of thirty-six per cent 

 over the census figures of six years ago. It is not only sufficient t<> 

 supply the wants of eighty-three millions of our own people, but last 



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