40 REPORT OF THE* COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



LABORATORY. 



I shall ask Congress at the forthcoming session to provide means 

 for the erection of a new chemical laboratory, apart from the main 

 building of the Department, in order that the latter and its occu- 

 pants may be removed from the annoyance of offensive odors and 

 dangers from combustion which now continually surround them. 

 The present laboratory is now in the basement of the main building, 

 in quarters illy fitted for the purpose, neither being fire-proof nor 

 healthful. The building is of a highly inflammable character, and 

 no b.etter argument ought to be necessary. Indeed, within the past 

 two weeks an explosion took place there which set a portion of the 

 laboratory on fire. The flames were fed in every direction by chem- 

 icals and oils, and but for the timely forethought of an assistant the 

 entire building would undoubtedly have been destroyed, together 

 with books and records, whose loss would be incalculable. Congress 

 should regard this warning and provide suitable and safe quarters 

 for this, one of the most important divisions of the Department. 



IRRIGATION. 



Upon assuming my duties as Commissioner I found a comprehen- 

 sive examination going on into the subject of irrigation. While it 

 was necessarily abandoned for a time, I am glad to be able to report 

 that I have since been able, though working with reduced appropria- 

 tions, to complete this work, which must prove of unusual interest to 

 those who can only successfully till the ground by means of this aux- 

 iliary force. Congress has already called for the manuscript, and it 

 will be submitted at the opening of the session. 



DAIRY. 



The operations of the dairy branch of tTie Department have been 

 continued during the year, and it has published a special report, which 

 is being widely disseminated. It is hoped that the publication and 

 distribution of this report will be sufficiently encouraging to those 

 engaged in the dairy industry to induce them to continue to keep 

 this branch of the Department informed of its condition and needs. 



TOBACCO CULTURE. 



At the request of a correspondent the Department undertook to 

 secure, through the kindness of the State Department, specimens of 

 tobacco leaf and tobacco seed, as well as short articles upon the cul- 

 tivation of the crop, from every quarter where the plant is grown. 

 The responses of the consuls have been generous and very satisfac- 

 tory. The seed has been placed in the hands of careful cultivators 

 with the view to improvement of our own seed, and the various arti- 

 cles received will be prepared for a forthcoming report. 



