APPENDIX. 535 



Sec. 4. That all laws and parts of laws relating to tho Department of Agri- 

 culture now in existence, as far as the same are applicable and not in conflict 

 with this act, and only so far, are continued in full force and efl'ect. 



Approved, February 9, 1889. 



Several other changes have been made in the law, including an amendment 

 which repeals the requirement that the Commissioner (Secretary) and chief 

 clerk give bond. Neither is now charged with any government property or 

 money. 



BUREAUS, DIVISIONS, AND OFFICES. 



The bureaus, offices, and divisions of the department as now organized are 

 as follows: 



THE WEATHER BUREAU. 



The "Weather Bureau had its origin in the publication by the department, 

 beginning in 1863, of meteorological data gathered by the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, and in the recommendation by Commissioner Newton, the First Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture, that daily weather reports by telegraph, under the 

 direction of the government, be distributed to the country. This service was 

 authorized by an act of Congress of February 4, 1870, and was conducted by 

 the chief signal officer of the army for twenty years. By the act of October 

 1, 1890, the Weather Bureau as such was officially recognized, and was trans- 

 ferred to the Department of Agriculture, the general details of its organization 

 being defined in that act. On July 1, 1891, the actual transfer took place. 



The duties of the "Weather Bureau are the forecasting of the weather, issue 

 of storm warnings, display of weather and flood signals for the benefit of agricul- 

 ture, commerce, and navigation; the gauging and reporting of rivers, the main- 

 tenance and operation of seacoast telegraph lines, and the collection and trans- 

 mission of marine intelligence for the benefit of commerce and navigation; the 

 reporting of temperature and rainfall conditions for the cotton, sugar, rice, and 

 other interests; the display of frost and cold-wave signals; the distribution of 

 meteorological informsition in the interests of agriculture and commerce, and 

 the taking of such meteorological observations as may be necessary to establish 

 and record the climatic conditions of the United States, or as are essential to the 

 proper execution of the foregoing duties. 



The Bureau now has 150 fully-equipped meteorological stations; 258 stations 

 specially equipped for the display of danger warnings to mariners; 261 stations 

 for the taking of telegraphic reports of temperature and rainfall in the growing 

 fields, and over 3,000 stations where voluntary observers make records of tem- 

 perature and rainfall with standard instruments. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



The Bureau of Animal Industry, established in 1884, now comprises sub- 

 divisions as follows : Inspection division, miscellaneous division, pathological 

 division, biochemic division, zoological laboratory, dairy division, experiment 

 station. Its duties are to make investigations as to the existence of contagious 

 pleuro-pneumonia, and other dangerous communicable diseases of live stock; 

 to make original investigations as to the nature and prevention of such diseases, 

 and to superintend measures for their extirpation; and to report on the condition 

 and means of improving the animal industries of the country. The Bureau also 

 has charge of the inspection of import and export animals, of the inspection of 

 vessels for the transportation of export animals, and of the quarantine stations 

 for imported neat cattle; supervises the interstate movement of cattle; and 

 inspects live stock and their products slaughtered for food consumption. 



