OP THE 



COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



Department of AGiiicuLTUnE, 



Washington, November 1, 1876. 



To the President of the United States : 



Sir : The celebration of this centennial anniversary of the independ- 

 ence of the United States is especially marked by the exhibition of the 

 products of the earth; thus recognizing the universally-accepted im- 

 pression that to agricultural science and industry belong the attri- 

 bute of characterizing the leading feature of the world's improve- 

 ment. A review«,of the exhibition which is now in progress brings 

 prominently to view the interest which the world takes in the cultiva- 

 tion of the earth's products and the improvement of their character. 

 All around and everywhere you meet with a sample of the product 

 itself, or the improved implement by which it is cultivated or prepared 

 for consumption. The very walls of the building are decorated with 

 the magnificent products of the farmer, while within those walls the 

 fruits of his labor are beautifully displayed as the evidence of his devo- 

 tion to the Declaration which secured to him freedom and happiness. 



This Department has contributed largely to that exposition in the 

 exhibits which it has made. Statistics, chemistry, botany, microscopy, 

 entomology, and the seed division, are all there to represent the pro- 

 digious progress which has been made in this country in the last one 

 hundred years; and I am extremely gratified to bo enabled to say that 

 their display has made a lasting impression of the wonderful achieve- 

 ments which have been accomplished in the agriculture of the United 

 States. 



This Department has availed itself of the opportunity which this ex- 

 hibition affords to make exchanges of seeds, plants, and publications 

 with several foreign nations, whereby large additions will be made to our 

 museum and library. This will involve the necessity of an addition to 

 our museum-hall by the erection of a gallery. The original plan of this 

 hall contemplated such an addition when it should be necessary, and 

 the contingency has now arrived when such an improvement is rendered 

 indispensable. The space now covered by the hall occupies 5,000 square 

 feet; the addition of the gallery will add to this 3,000 square feet, and 



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