December, 1909.] 



539 



Miscellaneous. 



different kinds of agricultural work, 

 experts, and lecturers, accomplished as 

 much or more toward the progress of 

 agriculture and the general improve- 

 ment of the country than any other 

 Bureau of the National Government, 

 Mr, Roosevelt stated that he believed 

 that the Department of Agriculture 

 benefited the country more for the 

 money invested than any other Depart- 

 ment of the Government, 



Demonstration Farms. — A most in- 

 teresting feature of the educational 

 work organized by the United States 

 Department of Agriculture is that which 

 is carried on by means of the demon- 

 stration farms of the Department. These 

 farms were started with the object of 

 showing, by numerous practical examples 

 over a large area, the advantages of 

 improved methods of agriculture. The 

 depredations of the Mexican cotton boll 

 weevil, which threatened the entire 

 destruction of the cotton crop in many 

 districts, was one of the chief reasous 

 which led to the starting of this work. 



The term "demonstration farm" is 

 used to designate a portion of land on a 

 farm that is woiked strictly according 

 to instructions. This is visited by an 

 agent once a month to see that these 

 instructions are carried out, and to 

 give further advice if necessary. The 

 farmers who co-operate and give reports 

 on results also agree to cultivate their 

 crops according to instructions, but are 

 not visited regularly by the agents. 



State Departments of Agriculture.— In 

 co-operation with the National Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture are the State depart- 

 ments or boards of agriculture, which 

 form an important part of the Govern- 

 ment of each State. Twenty-one of the 

 States and Territories have commis- 

 sioners of agriculture and twenty-nine 

 of them have State boards of agriculture. 

 In all of the States and Territories 

 except Alaska, Hawaii and Forto Rico 

 advantage is taken of the provisions of 

 the Acts of Congress of July 2, 18t32, and 

 August 30, 1890, providing for agricul- 

 tural instruction. The number of these 

 institutions is sixty-five. In twenty-one 

 States the agricultural colleges are 

 departments of the State universities. 

 The total number of persons engaged in 

 agricultural education and research at 

 the land-grant colleges and experiment 

 stations in 1907 was 6,243, and the number 

 of students 66,193, The agricultural 

 experiment stations are, with very few 

 fixceptions, departments of the agricul- 

 tural colleges. 



National Commissions and Organiza- 

 tion s.— Some of the movements on the 

 part of the National Government for the 



development of agriculture and the im- 

 provement of country life have been the 

 meeting of the governors of all of the 

 States in Washington for a conference 

 with the President regarding matters 

 which were of most concern for the 

 development and promotion of the best 

 interests of the people of the different 

 States, the calling of the National 

 Conservation Commission and the 

 appointment of the Commission on 

 Country Life by President Roosevelt. 

 Beside these newly-inaugurated move- 

 ments there are many permanent or- 

 ganizations such as the Association of 

 American Agricultural Colleges and 

 Experiments Stations, American Associa- 

 tion of Farmers' Institute Workers, 

 American National Live Stock Associa- 

 tion, National Wool Growers ' Associa- 

 tion, National Dairy Association, 

 American Breeders' Association, forestry 

 associations, schools of forestry, National 

 Bee Keepers ' Association, Farmers ' 

 National Congress, Patrons of Husban- 

 dry, and horticultural societies. 



Ihe Graduate School of Agricidture. — 

 Other gatherings which were of no little 

 importance and should not be overlooked 

 were the sessions of the Graduate School 

 of Agriculture. The third session was 

 held at Ithaca and Geneva, N. Y.,July 

 6 to 31, 1908. Dr. A. C, True, Director of 

 the Agricultural Experiment Stations- 

 United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, served as dean and Prof. G. N. 

 Lauman, of the College of Agriculture of 

 Cornell University, acted as registrar. 

 This school was organized through the 

 standing committee on graduate study 

 of the Association of American Agricul- 

 tural Colleges and Experiment Stations. 

 During the sessions of the Graduate 

 School meetings of the following or- 

 ganizations were held : American Society 

 of Agronomy, Association of Dairy In- 

 structors and Investigators, Interna- 

 tional Conference of Poultry Instructors 

 and Investigators. It is estimated that 

 at least 350 persons attended the sessions 

 of the school. At the closing meeting 

 Dr. True said : " Probably never before 

 has there been gathered together for 

 so extended a period so large and 

 enthusiastic a body of scientific men in- 

 terested in agriculture." 



Farmers ' Unions, — Besides the above- 

 mentioned meetings and conferences, 

 which were of national importance, there 

 are local, Stafe, and national gatherings 

 of the Patrons of Husbandry and other 

 Farmers ' unions, which are organized in 

 almost every State and, in fact, in 

 almost every township, if not every 

 town, in every county and State in the 

 Union. The Patrons of Husbandry, or 



