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Show THE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. I When Congress made agriculture a special I department and gave its head a cabinet position, there were not a few people -who thought it a useless innovation. It is now becoming apparent that it -was most wise and the vision of what it is to accomplish is a most winsome one. I It has already exalted the cultivation of the soil in public estimation. In the industrial world I the perfectly trained agriculturalist and hortrcul- turest commands wages equal to a railroad su- perintendent. In one way and 'another men have tilled the soil ever since tUe race began to emerge from barbarism; but before another generation I passes, the real cultivation of the ground will be 1 a scientific operation. The first question will be, "What is a certain soil best fitted to produce?" I It will be analyzed; its food producing capacity will be demonstrated, whatever within the soil Is a detriment will be discovered, then what to do will be plain. Again the whole earth is being ransacked to find wild plants, and when secured the experiments begin to see if something cannot be evolved, which will make a new food for I men's palates, or a new flower for men's eyes. In I ten years more it will be shown from tables what 1 breed of animals will make the most meat at the least expense, what breeds of cows will insure most milk, cheese and butter at the least cost, what sheep and pigs the farmer should select. I In the last five years some miracles have been wrought through Irrigation, but the best means to apply moisture to the soil and the amounts needed for various evils in order to obtain the best results have not yet been determined. I |