Charles Bessey, Letters, 1885-1887

think amendments are necessary, you had better write at once to representatives Laird and Weaver.

Very Truly Yours Chas F. Manderson

Bessey

1887

[Calendar No., 852.

49th Congress, 2d Session.

S. 372.

In the Senate of the United States

December 10, 1885. Mr. George introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.

April 21, 1886. Reported by Mr. George without amendment.

January 26, 1887. Considered, amended, and ordered to be printed, as amended viz: Omit the parts struck through and insert the parts printed in italica.

A Bill

To establish agricultural experiment stations in connection with the colleges established in the several States under the provisions of an act approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty two, and of the acts supplementary thereto.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 2 of the Untited States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That in order to aid [the Department of Agriculture] in acquiring 4 and diffusing among the people of the United States 5 useful and practical information on subjects connected with 6 agriculture, and to promote scientific investigation and experiment 7 respecting the principles and applications of agricultural

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8 science, there shall be established [in connection with] under 9 direction of the college or colleges, or agricultural department 10 of colleges, in each State or Territory established, or 11 which may hereafter be established, in accordance with the 12 provisions of an act approved July second, eighteen hundred 13 and sixty-two, entitled "An act donating public lands to the 14 several States and Territories which may provide colleges for 15 the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts," or any of 16 the supplements to said act, a department to be known and 17 designated as an "agricultural experiment station:" Provided, 18 That in any State or Territory in which two such colleges 19 have been or may be so established the appropriation herein 20 after made to such State or Territory shall be equally divided 21 between such colleges, unless the legislature of such State or 22 Territory shall otherwise direct,

1 Sec. 2. That it shall be the object and duty of said experiment 2 stations to conduct original researches or verify 3 experiments on the physiology of plants and animals; the 4 diseases to which they are severally subject, with the remedies 5 for the same; the chemical composition of useful plants 6 at their different stages of growth; the comparative advantages 7 of rotative cropping as pursued under a varying series 8 of crops; the capacity of new plants or trees for acclimation 9 [within the isothermal limits represented by the climate of the 10 several stations and their vicinity]; the analysis of soils and

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11 water; the chemical composition of manures, natural or artificial, 12 with experiments designed to test their comparative 13 effects on crops of different kinds; the adaptation and value 14 of grasses and forage plants; the composition and digestibility 15 of the different kinds of food for domestic animals; the 16 scientific and economic questions involved in the production of 17 butter and cheese; and such other researches or experiments 18 bearing directly on the agricultural industry of the United 19 States as may in each case be deemed advisable, having due 20 regard to the varying conditions and needs of the respective 21 States or Territories.

1 [Sec. 3. That the said experiment stations shall be under] 2 [the direction and control of the trustees or other governing] 3 [body of such colleges, who shall have power to appoint a] 4 [director and such assistants as may in each case be necessary.]

1 Sec. 4 3. That in order to secure, as far as practicable, 2 uniformity of methods and results in the work of said stations, 3 it shall be the duty of the United States Commissioner of Agriculture 4 [to determine anually a standard of valuation of the] 5 [ingredients of commercial fertilizers, upon which the analysis] 6 [of such fertilizers, as fas as made by said stations, shall be] 7 [based;] to furnish forms, as far as practicable, for the tabulation 8 of results of investigation for experiments; to indicate, from 9 time to time, such lines of inquiry as to him shall seem most 10 important; and, in general, to furnich such advice and assist-

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11 ance as will best promote the purposes of this act[; but nothing] 12 [herein contained shall be construed to authorize said Commissioner] 13 [to control or direct the work or management of any] 14 [such station except as to the standard of valuation of commercial] 15 [fertilizers]. It shall be the duty of each of said stations, 16 annually, on or before the first day of February, to make to 17 the governor of the State or Territory in which it is located 18 a full and detailed report of its operations, including a statement 19 of receipts and expendituros, a copy of which report 20 shall be sent to each of said stations, to the said Commissioner 21 of Agriculture, and to the Secretary of the Treasury of the 22 United States.

1 Sec. 5. That [in order to make the results of the work] 2 [of said stations immediately useful,] they shall publish at least 3 once in every three months bulletins or reports of progress, one 4 copy of which shall be sent to each newspaper in the States 5 or Territories in which they are respectively located, and to 6 such individuals actually engaged in farming as may request 7 the same, and as far as the means of the station will permit. 8 Such bulletins or reports and the annual reports of said stations 9 shall be transmitted in the mails of the United States 10 free of charge for postage, under such regulations as the Postmaster 11 General may from time to time prescribe.

1 Sec. 6. That for the purpose of paying the salaries and 2 wages of the director and other employees of said stations,