A portion of the horticultural work of the Bureau has been reorganized and a new section established, which includes the work with truck crops, potatoes, and sugar-beet seed, and the study of landscape and vegetable gardening, floriculture, and related subjects. The allotment for these purposes is $50,960, of which $10,000 is for the potato experiments. Some of the other large divisions of the Bureau will be those for fruit investigations, which will receive $92,000; the foreign seed and plant introduction, with $83,000; the cereal investigations, with $104,925; and the studies of crop production and land utilization under arid and semiarid conditions, with $205,000. The Forest Service receives, as usual, by far the largest allotment, the aggregate being $5,399,679, as compared with $5,343,045 at present. There are also available the appropriations in connection with the Weeks act already referred to, and as at present, $200,000 for fighting forest fires in cases of extraordinary emergency. The bulk of the appropriation will, of course, be expended in the maintenance of the National Forests, but the Forest Service again has available $400,000 for permanent improvements, $83,728 for silviculture and dendrological experiments, $165,640 for reforestation, and $150,000 for fighting forest fires of a routine nature. The allotment for study of methods of wood distillation and preservation, timber testing, and wood utilization is reduced to $140,000, but small increases are granted for range and miscellaneous forest studies, and the dissemination of results.

The appropriations to the Bureau of Chemistry aggregate $1,058,140, an increase of $89,200, chiefly for the enforcement of the food and drugs act, as previously stated. A new item is the allotment of $40,000 for collaboration with other departments of the Government and other miscellaneous work, such as the examination of paper, ink, and other contract supplies.

The investigations in the Bureau of Soils are provided for substantially as at present. There is an increase of $5,000 for the soil fertility studies and a decrease of the same amount by the elimination. of the investigations of the relation of soils to drainage and seepage waters, which were carried on for several years by the late Dr. W J McGee. The soil survey receives $175,000, an increase of $10,000, in addition to $20,000 for the examination of lands in forest reserves already referred to. The aggregate for the Bureau is $334,020.

An increase of $69,870 brings the total for the Bureau of Entomology to $742,210. Of this amount $10,000 is to be used in combating the range caterpillar, and the remainder is expected to provide for increased development and the addition of several new lines of work, including studies of fumigation practices.

The appropriations of the Biological Survey show an apparent reduction from $191,400 to $170,990, but this is largely because the

previous act contained special appropriations of $71,000 for the acquisition of additional game reserves, as compared with $5,000 in the present act, which authorizes the establishment and maintenance of a single additional winter elk refuge of 1,000 acres in Wyoming. The routine appropriations of the Bureau all receive small increases, the largest being that for the destruction of ground squirrels from $3,000 to $15,000.

The various activities of the Office of Experiment Stations were continued and in several instances slightly augmented. The total is $1,901,260, of which $1,440,000 is paid to the state experiment stations under the Hatch and Adams acts. Of the remainder $66,160 is for statutory salaries, $40,500 (a net increase of $3,000) for general expenses, and $23,000 (an increase of $7,240) for the agricultural education service. The nutrition and drainage investigations are continued on the present basis, receiving $16,000 and $97,600 respectively, and the lump fund for irrigation investigations is increased from $98,300 to $108,000.

The total for the insular stations is $110,000, of which the Hawaii and Porto Rico stations are allotted $30,000 each, as at present, and the Alaska stations $35,000, the additional $5,000 being necessary to reestablish the live stock experiments at Kodiak which were interrupted by the volcanic eruption of June 6, 1912. The Guam Station again receives $15,000 and may use $2,000 of this for the purchase of additional land. The sale of farm products from these stations is authorized as usual, but a clause included for many years making the receipts available for the maintenance of the stations, as is of course the practice in 'the state experiment stations, was eliminated on a point of order. This is expected to have the effect of reducing their total revenue by about $8,000.

The Office of Public Roads received one of the largest increases in the act, its appropriation rising from $202,120 to $279,400. This enlarges all branches of its work, $15,000 additional being available for inquiries and advice on road management, and an increase of $50,000 for studies of road materials and road construction and maintenance. The work of the remaining branches is continued much as at present. The Division of Publications is granted $184,660 as compared with $219,700 in the previous act, but this decrease is in consequence of the transfer to the Public Printer last October of the work of distributing all Departmental publications. The Office of the Secretary will receive $303,820, the Bureau of Statistics $243,680, the Library $43,520, and the Division of Accounts and Disbursements $104,370. The allotment for rent in the District of Columbia is increased to $98,329, and the fund for contingent expenses remains at $106,066.

One item in the section providing for contingent expenses is of exceptional interest because of the event with which it is associated. This is the proviso that not exceeding $1,000 "may be used for the purchase of an oil painting of Honorable James Wilson, former Secretary of Agriculture." The act received the signature of President Taft on March 4, thereby antedating by a few hours the retirement of one with whom the work of the Department has long been associated in the public mind. Sixteen years had elapsed since his first appointment in 1897, so that for some time he had had the honor of both the longest occupancy of a cabinet position in American history and also of a period of service as Secretary of Agriculture nearly double that of his three predecessors combined.

The complete story of this remarkable epoch in our agriculture can not here be attempted, but a summary by Dr. E. F. Smith, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, speaking as the representative of the Department at a farewell reception tendered by the employees to the retiring Secretary, may well be quoted:

"In that sixteen years we have grown from less than twenty-five hundred persons occupied with problems for the betterment of agriculture to nearly fourteen thousand workers. We then expended less than three million dollars per annum on our work. The bill that has recently passed Congress directs us to expend nearly eighteen millions. Sixteen years ago we had very little influence at home and none abroad. To-day there is not a civilized country in the world that does not speak with respect and envy of our Department of Agriculture, and as for our standing at home, one has only to ask any well-educated farmer anywhere in this broad country."

Dr. Smith went on to emphasize the share of Secretary Wilson in this period of progress, saying in part: "You have been a part of all this vast growth. To you, more than to any other one man, all this is due. Your large foresight and wise administration have made it possible. It is true no man could have done it without many years at his disposal. These sixteen years of continuous service have been your good fortune, and ours, and, most of all, the good fortune of this great Nation."

As a part of the exercises of the evening a portrait bust of Secretary Wilson was unveiled the gift of the employees of the Department. The original bronze is to be given to the retiring Secretary and a replica will be placed in the Library of the Department. The reception was held in the new National Museum, and was attended by some fifteen hundred of the employees and their families.

Prof. W. M. Hays, who had served as Assistant Secretary since the close of 1904, also retired with Secretary Wilson, and has been succeeded by Dr. B. T. Galloway, chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry and connected with the Department for more than twenty-five years. 81445°-No. 4-13

-2

RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE.

AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY-AGROTECHNY.

The chemistry of arsenical insecticides, E. B. HOLLAND and J. C. REED (Massachusetts Sta. Rpt. 1911, pt. 1, pp. 177–207).—This is a second report on the chemistry of insecticides (E. S. R., 26, p. 21) which constitutes a part of the project on why and under what conditions insecticides burn foliage. Finding that the various chemicals used for this purpose on the market were of variable composition, and, furthermore, that the methods employed and prescribed by manufacturers were indefinite, and yielded very variable products, the authors studied the methods of preparing and the properties of Paris green, calcium arsenite and lead arsenates. As a result of numerous experiments with the two general processes used commercially for making Paris green and their reactions a combination process, using copper acetate and sodium arsenite, together with sufficient acetic acid to offset the alkalinity of the arsenite, was found the most acceptable. The reaction is expressed as follows: 4 Cu (C2H2O2),H2O+6 NaAsO2+ 6 C2HO2=Cu(C2H3O2)2. 3 Cu (AsO+6 NaC2H2O2 It was easy to control, could be carried out at any temperature from that of the laboratory to boiling and gave a product of variable physical structure and of fine color. Solutions of different concentrations were tried, of which one-fifth molecular (M/5) for the acetate and one-half molecular (M/2) for the arsenite proved satisfactory. This process appeared to require less arsenic in excess than the ordinary method, although the work was performed on too small a scale to warrant positive statements to that effect."

66

Two greens obtained from manufacturers were examined and found to contain an excess of cupric oxid and acetic acid, may have been hydrolyzed by the washing process, which resulted in the formation of a basic acetate. The instantaneous green "was of a pale green color, and consisted of very small, irregular, angular particles with considerable impurity. It was cohesive, had a poor flow,' and the film test on glass [E. S. R., 12, p. 64] appeared whitish. The slow process green, on the other hand, had a brilliant green color of metallic luster, and was composed of minute green spheres of various sizes, together with a small amount of crystalline and fragmentary matter. It had an excellent flow' and the film test on glass was green.... Neither of the greens contained an excessive amount of free or of free and loosely combined arsenic, judging by the standard, although the slow process was decidedly the better in that respect."

A series of tests was conducted with the slow process sample of Paris green and various solvents. "Cold water dissolved a small amount of arsenic, boiling water very much more. The green appeared to resist hot water for a considerable time after which the change was noticeable. If the boiling had been continued all the arsenic would probably have passed into solution. The 0.1 per cent ammonium salts, exclusive of nitrite, dissolved on the average 58 per cent more arsenic that the corresponding sodium salts. In both instances the carbonate was the most active, followed respectively by the sulphate, chlorid, and nitrate. Sodium bicarbonate was apparently inactive under the conditions

employed. Free carbonic acid was effective and so was ammonia when in sufficient amount to overcome the resistance of the green, and jointly, carbonic acid and ammonia dissolved the most arsenic. It is evident from what has been stated that carbonic acid and ammonia of the atmosphere in conjunction with dew, fogs, or light rains and high temperature will materially increase the dissociation of Paris green. In conclusion it may be said that Paris green contains a fairly high percentage of arsenic, is nominally insoluble in water but unstable, hydrolizing readily under favorable conditions. It has a low power of suspension though its fineness permits of reasonable distribution. It is a poor indicator without lime of the leaf surface covered, but possesses fair adhesive qualities."

For preparing calcium arsenite, sodium arsenite was used because it is readily soluble, and proved satisfactory. A salt of fair quality can be procured on the market, or is easily prepared by a method which is given. As the alkalinity of the soda in sodium arsenite is not destroyed by the arsenous acid used, it should be run into the calcium chlorid solution slowly with constant agitation in order to prevent any precipitation of calcium hydroxid. An excess (10 per cent) of sodium arsenite was found desirable to perfect the salt. After standing several hours the liquor was removed by means of a Buchner funnel, and the lime arsenite washed rapidly with cold water until nearly free from chlorids.

To ascertain whether the resulting product was a definite compound, salts were produced by adding an excess of sodium arsenite to the calcium chlorid and vice versa, observing the usual precautions as to dilution, precipitation of calcium hydroxid, oxidation of the arsenic, etc. The small samples prepared in the laboratory were of uniform composition, indicating a definite compound of about 77 per cent arsenic content. This amount of arsenic exceeds the requirements of the ortho and pyro salts, and substantially conforms to that of the meta compound with a theoretical content of 77.92 per cent. Analyses of some commercial preparations are also given.

The calcium metarsenite, prepared according to the directions given, is a smooth white gelatinous mass or jell of very fine, adhesive particles. The power of suspension was extremely high but lessened by drying. Calcium arsenite is also probably the most soluble arsenical insecticide known, being “fairly soluble in cold water, but much more so in boiling water. The ammonium salts, exclusive of nitrite, dissolved about 19 per cent more arsenic than the corresponding sodium salts. The carbonate in both instances proved very effective, followed by the chlorid, sulphate, and nitrate with only slight differences between the latter. An interchange of bases must have resulted in many instances to permit the high solubility recorded. Carbonic acid, combined and free, was the most active of any single agent, consequently excess lime should afford one of the best methods of protection under atmospheric conditions. Ammonium hydroxid depressed slightly the solubility of the arsenic.

"Calcium metarsenite contains the highest percentage of arsenic of all the common insecticides, and is quite soluble except in presence of excess lime; the fineness of its particles and the high power of suspension insure uniform distribution; the white film readily indicates the surface covered; and its adhesiveness provides protection for a reasonable period under average weather conditions."

In the experiments on neutral lead arsenates, many attempts were made to prepare salts containing the arsenic and lead in the proper molecular ratio, di- and trisodium and ammonium arsenates being employed. The required salts were finally produced according to the following equation:

3Pb(C2H2O2), 3H,O+2Na,HA80, 7H,O=Pb,(AsO1)2+

4NaC2H.O, 3H,O+2C,H,O,+11H2O.