10 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Twelfth and Fourteeuth streets SW., aud B street S. and the canal, the 

 same now forming the Department grounds, was assigned to him for an 

 experimental farm. 



The organization of the new Department proceeded rather slowly at 

 first. There was delay in the transfer of the property of the agricul- 

 tural division from the Patent Office. Commissioner Kewton said in 

 his first report, dated January 1, 18G3, that he was not yet formally in 

 possession, though he had called attention to the matter in the previous 

 July. Also on January 1, 1864, he said he had been unable to use the 

 ground at Twelfth and B streets S W., as a farm, because it was needed 

 by the War Department as a cattle yard for army supplies. 

 Appointment of early officials.— In 1802 Commissioner iSTewton appointed 



William Saunders to be super- 

 intendent of the propagating 

 garden, and Mr. Saunders 

 ^ aided materially with advice in 



organizing the deimrtmental 

 work. It was proposed to 

 employ a chemist, and Mr. 

 Saunders was asked what there 

 was in his branch for the at- 

 tention of such an official. He 

 said that in the experiments 

 with new varieties of grapes 

 there were analyses which 

 could be made with profit. On 

 August 21, 1862, C. M. Weth- 

 erill w^as appointed Depart- 

 ment chemist. He made cer- 

 tain analyses of grapes, and 

 also of sorghum sirup, which 

 were given to the public in the second bulletin published by the Depart- 

 ment. The first bulletin was a pamphlet by Mr. Saunders on the 

 objects aud aims of the Experimental Garden, with a catalogue. 



This work and the distribution of plants from the propagating gar- 

 den, the collection and distribution of seeds, and the publication of 

 agricultural statistics and other information constituted the chief activ- 

 ities of the Department for the first six months. 



In 1863 Commissioner Newton appointed Lewis Bollman to be statis- 

 tician and Townend Glover to be entomologist. He imported several 

 hundred bushels of choice seed wheat, corn, rye, and other cereals, and 

 several thousand dollars worth of other seeds. At the same time with 

 these he distributed 1,500 bushels of cotton seed and a large amount 

 of tobacco seed. An especial effort was made to stimulate the cultiva- 

 tion of cotton in the Northern States. In all. Commissioner Newton 

 distributed in 1803 1,200,000 packages of seed and 25,750 bulbs, cut- 

 tings, and vines. The publication of monthly reports of the condition 



Isaac Xewton, 



Coniniissioner of Agriculture. 



1862-1867. 



