REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER, 5 



are no mucli excited, as tbat of the depredation of insects upon Lis 

 growing- crops, fruits, and vegetables; and, strange as it may seem, 

 there is no other about wbicli he knows so little, and, therefore, against 

 which he is so helpless to make provision. It is the province of this 

 division to point out such insects as are injurious — their depredations, 

 their habits — liow they may be known by their works, and, in some 

 measure, suggesting remedies for the evils of which they are the cause. 



The Horticultural Division contributes very largely to the gratifica- 

 tion and satisfaction which the public derive from the workings of this 

 Department. To select the best fruits, and improve them by hybridi- 

 zation — to note the peculiarities of varieties and their climatic adapta- 

 tions — is part of the work of this division. There is no other existing 

 influence which can, with the same facility, collect, for the benefit of 

 the community, the choice fruits and plants of the world. All officers 

 of our Government abroad take great i)leasure in furnishing the De- 

 partment with anything that is new and useful. 



The Microscopic Division is growing in imj^ortauce in a measure com- 

 mensurate with the discoveries which the i)ower of the glass is con- 

 stantly developing to the seeker after kn owledge. To know the nature 

 of rust, smut, mildew, mold, and kindred causes of vegetable disease, 

 is the first step toward preventing their effects, so detrimental to 

 farmers and fruit-growers. The microscope presents these so plainly 

 to the eye as to remove all doubt of their nature, and leaves nothing to 

 speculate about but the means of prevention. 



" To i)rocurej propagate, and distribute new and valuable varieties of 

 seeds and plants," is the work designated by the act of Congress for 

 the Seed Division. With the foreign correspondents and the agents of 

 the Department in most of the counties of the United States, it is con- 

 stantly kept advised of everything that is new and useful with regard 

 to seeds, and the climate to which they are best suited ; and these are 

 procured and distributed among the farmers of the district the location 

 of which is adapted to the quality of the seed ; and thus all that is 

 excellent, fruitful, and profitable is put into the hands of our own peo- 

 l)le, who measure its value and profit by its use. 



The Statistical Division is engaged, through the instrumentality of 

 perhaps six thousand agents, in collecting current agricultural statis- 

 tics, and utilizing all the statistics of governments, associations, and 

 corporations, foreign and domestic, so far as they relate to rural 

 economy and tend to the advancement of American agricultural in- 

 terests; and this information is i)ublished periodically, whereby the 

 farmer is duly informed as to amount of products, the merchant as to 

 their probable value, and the mechanic as to the cost of living. 



The Library of the Department is peculiarly an agricultural one, in 

 which are collected the published discussions and studied wisdom of 

 learned men on agriculture. This is turned to a most profitable ac- 

 count by all those whose duties in the Department require their inves- 



