22 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
and determines the value; but that is done entirely by the State. In 
the case of the foot-and-mouth disease, I think something like one-third 
of the assessed value of the animals was paid by the General Govern- 
ment. 
The Cuarrman. I think the report of the Secretary of Agriculture 
shows 70 per cent. 
Mr. Gattoway. Perhaps it was 70 per cent. ; 
Mr. Apams. Let me ask you right there. Is cotton an exhaustive 
crop? 
Mr. Gattoway. Very. 
Mr. Apams. In the fertility of the soil? 
Mr. Gatioway. In the fertility of the soil. It is one of the robbers 
of the soil, and the whole agricultural practice of the South has been 
a species of land robbery. ‘That is one of the things that is now causin 
this crisis in cotton production. There has been little attention pai 
to rotation of crops, little attention paid to bringing in green manures 
and things of that kind; but more attention has been paid to them in 
recent years than in former years. 
Mr. Apams. Is it exhaustive, as far as the cotton crop is concerned, 
or does it exhaust the general fertility of the soil? 
Mr. Gattoway. It exhausts the general fertility of the soil, because 
the soils of the South, generally speaking, are of such a nature that a 
crop grown like cotton and then taken off and left standing, as is gen- 
erally the case in the South, leaches the land very severely; and while 
other crops can be put back and brought up quite readily with green 
manures, the general fertility is exhausted. 
We have estimated as a conservative figure here $25,000 for this 
matter of the introduction of new crops, diversification of crops, rota- 
tion of crops; but that could be extended if it were desirable to do so, 
and we could spend $50,000; that is, by going into other sections. 
Mr. Bowrg. Let me ask you a question right there, if it does not 
interrupt you. 
Mr. ea arogeai Certainly. 
Mr. Bowre. You are separating the different expenditures that 
could be made. This bill proposes to consolidate the entire fund in 
the hands of the Secretary of Agriculture, and to let him make the 
separation as he sees fit. For instance, if you are too low there in 
some places and too high in others, he will make the adjustment. 
Mr. Gattoway. I am just giving a tentative outline of a plan, and 
Droctor Howard will give a tentative outline of a plan, and then the two 
will be combined, and it will show you how rere can be expended in 
one year of this $500,000. 
Mr. Bow1s. That is not intended to be a separate appropriation for 
each of these things? 
Mr. Gatroway. No, sir. This is simply a tentative estimate for 
the work that could be done under this bill and the amount of money 
that would be required to do it in one year. We have limited our- 
selves to one year. 
Mr. Bowtie. I understand. 
Mr. Gatioway. The next two points, ‘‘ Introduction of new crops” 
and ‘‘ Studies and experiments in connection with methods for the 
destruction and control of the boll weevil and other cotton insects.” 
will be discussed by Doctor Howard. : 
