38 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



thermore, with the preparation, ])ublication, aud distribution of Farm- 

 ers' Bulletins. The division issues advance notices and a monthly list 

 of publications, and prepares for publication any information of special 

 interest to agriculturists, (leorge William Hill was appointed editor 

 July 8, 1SS9, and has been the chief of the division since its organiza- 

 tion; appointed July 14, 1890. 



OFFICE OF EOAD INQUIRY. 



The Office of Road Inquiry, established in 1893, collects information 

 concerning the system of road management throughout the United 

 States, conducts investigations into methods of road making, directs 

 the building of sample roads at the agricultural colleges and experi- 

 ment stations, and prepares publications on the subject of roads and 

 road laws. Roy Stone has been at the head of the office since its 

 organization, first as special agent and engineer, and since October 3, 

 1893, as director. 



DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. 



The Division of A grostology, formerly in the Division of Botany, was 

 established as an independent division July 1, 1895, under the present 

 chief F. Lamson-Scribner. It is charged with the investigations of 

 the natural history, geographical distribution, and uses of grasses and 

 forage plants, their adaptation to special soils aud climates, the intro- 

 duction of promising native and foreign kinds into cultivation, and the 

 preparation of publications and correspondence relative to these plants. 

 F. Lamson-Scribner has been in charge of the division since its organ- 

 ization, becoming chief July 1, 1895. 



DIVISION OF SOILS. 



The Division of Soils (formerly Division of Agricultural Soils in the 

 Weather Bureau) was established as an independent division of the 

 Department in 1894. It has for its object the investigation of the tex- 

 ture and other physical jiroperties of soils and their relation to crop 

 production. Mdton W^hitney, who has been in charge of the division 

 since its organization, was appointed chief July 1, 1895. 



SECTION OF FOREIGN MARKETS. 



The Section of Foreign Markets was instituted March 20, 1894, under 

 a clause in the act of appropriations for the Department of Agriculture 

 setting aside $10,000 for the purpose of making "investigations con- 

 cerning the feasibility of extending the demands of foreign markets 

 for the agricultural products of the United States." The work of the 

 section consists chiefly in the preparation of bulletins and circulars 

 designed to convey information regarding such opportunities as exist 

 for the extension of our export trade in American farm products. 



