SOIL SURVEY AND TEST FARMS AND FARM DEMONSTRATION WORK.

This is conducted, like the cattle quarantine, in conjunction with the United States Agricultural Department, the expenses being defrayed by each department. The object is to locate the different types of soil in the State. Upon these types it is desired to locate test farms for practical and scientific purposes. Test farms have been established in Edgecombe County; at Willard Station, in Pender County; Statesville; Blantyre, in Transylvania County; near Swannanoa, in Buncombe County; and arrangements are on foot for a peanut, bright tobacco and grass and stock farm. The effort is to work these farms for the benefit of the crops grown in each section, first on small plats and then on a large scale, showing results of different kinds and amounts of home-made and commercial fertilizers, preparation of land, cultivation and rotation of crops and demonstration work.

As it might be supposed that all children of the same parents would be exactly alike, so it might be inferred that all soils composed from decomposition of the same rocks would be identical; but this is known to be true in neither case.

By demonstration work on different fields in the same locality or type of soil the variations can be ascertained and the manures prepared and cultivation suitable to each learned.

The Demonstrator of the Department, as requested or opportunity offers, can visit localities of the State, make suggestions upon these lines and gather statistics for promotion of the work. This bureau of the work is under the direction of Mr. T. B. Parker, of Wayne County, a successful, practical farmer. The National Department is doing a large amount of work along this line, and there is hearty co-operation between the two departments.

The object of the Department is, as far as practicable, to have farmers test upon their lands the theories advanced by science, and to realize benefits by ascertaining the particular needs of their respective fields. The loss to the farmer in buying ingredients not needed in fertilizers, and the failure to purchase what is actually needed, amounts to millions of dollars annually. To educate them along these lines is the object of test-farm and demonstration work.

THE CORN CROP.

The corn crop is the most important to the North Carolina farmer, and special attention is given to it in this work. Few men who buy corn find farming profitable. A man "out of corn" is generally out of everything else essential in farming; one with corn to sell is generally independent. We wish to see every farmer raise his supply of corn, and this will certainly lead to production of other necessaries.

Selling cotton gives the farmer more trouble and anxiety, and frequently more actual loss, than any other business connected with the farm. Farmers with a full supply of corn are generally able to act independently as to sale of cotton; and there is no more potent factor in the sale of cotton than a good supply of corn.

IMMIGRATION.

The United States laws forbid the introduction of laborers under contract or agreement. The State limits efforts to obtain immigrants to desirable persons from other States of the Union, Canada and other nations of Teutonic, Celtic

or Saxon origin. But the following counties are exempted from this provision and are allowed to secure immigrants from any country except southern Italy: Brunswick, Bladen, Columbus, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Pasquotank, Surry, Dare, Hyde, Martin, Washington, Tyrrell, Pamlico, Beaufort, Lenoir, Carteret, Craven, Pitt, Montgomery, Camden, Currituck and Duplin.

The work done by the Department has been more successful than ever before. Literature in English and several foreign languages, setting forth the special advantages of North Carolina to home-seekers, has been published and distributed. Lantern slides have been made and much material collected for making illustrative exhibits. Agents have been appointed in England and Scotland and efforts have been made to secure only a desirable class of immigrants.

Owing to the general financial panic, active work in foreign countries has been stopped. However, we have received into the State seventy-five immigrants from Great Britain, twelve from Norway, two from northern Italy, and from other States thirteen families, most of whom have purchased farms. Many others have come, but we have no way of finding out at what point they have located. Private parties and corporations, notably the Carolina Trucking Development Company, of Wilmington, N. C., who have located 833 persons in the vicinity of Wilmington, have done much to induce immigration, and the Department co-operates with them in every way possible.

As required by law, lists of lands for sale have been prepared and, together with other descriptive literature, are distributed by the Department. Lists of parties inquiring through the Department for North Carolina property, with a view of purchasing, are also given to the State papers for publication.

The Department has no lands of the State for sale, and can make no contracts, warrant no titles nor do any work of like nature. It can only put parties desiring to purchase property in the State in communication with citizens who have property to sell, and leave them to perfect sales, if it is found desirable.

The lists of lands are divided into four pamphlets-Tidewater, Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Mountain-each containing the lands recorded for sale in the respective divisions.

VETERINARY DIVISION.

The Division of Veterinary Science is under the direction of Dr. Tait Butler, whose services are devoted to giving information as to the care and feeding of farm animals, improvement of live stock, treatment of diseases, and the gradual extermination of the tick, which is the source of the deadly Texas or splenic fever. Dr. Butler is also Director of Farmers' Institutes, and that work has increased in value and interest under his management.

CATTLE QUARANTINE AND ERADICATION OF THE FEVER TICK.

The United States and State laws concerning the eradication of the cattle tick are simply improvements on the act of the Legislature of 1795, concerning the driving of cattle from the oak to the long-leaf pine section of the State, which was continued as a statute until the Revisal of 1905. The disease was called "murrain," or distemper, and its malignity known, but not for a century was the cause ascertained and direct effort made for care and eradication.

Starting in 1899 with the crest of the Blue Ridge as the location of the quarantine line, it has been moved east to the Roanoke River, in Warren County,

as the northern boundary, and to the Pee Dee, in Anson, as the southern boundary of the State. This quarantine line is established by the United States Agricultural Department. The movement of cattle is restricted to a few months each year and subject to inspection and regulations, while exempted territory is free from impediments. The price of cattle in the exempted section (that which is free from the tick) is thought to be one cent per pound, live weight, over that in the quarantined sections. The value of exemption is apparent. The stock law tends to destroy the tick; where it has prevailed for several years, few ticks being found, the county is soon declared free.

At the suggestion of this Department, infected counties or parts of counties have been quarantined and the clear territory has been given the benefit of exemption.

Dr. Kiernan, of the United States Agricultural Department, has directed the work, in conjunction with Dr. Butler. The United States Department has employed thirteen inspectors and the State four. We anticipate some cooperation next year, and it is expected to continue the work on the same scale. FARMERS' INSTITUTES.

Meetings of farmers to hear matters pertaining to their vocation discussed by scientific men and also by practical farmers have met with great encouragement in the numbers attending and the interest shown in the proceedings and the beneficial results to farming in the communities where the institutes are held.

Realizing that while "A good farmer without, it is needful there be," "A good housewife within is as needful as he," institutes for the benefit of the farmers' wives and daughters were introduced two years ago. They were well attended and will be helpful to the ladies of the farmers' families.

There were 234 institutes held this year (1908), attended by 21,000 persons. Demonstration work has been added to the institute work. A demonstrator endeavors to assist in carrying into effect on the farm what is said at the institute. Good seeds are distributed and practical assistance given in the improvement of the land, cultivation and harvesting of the crops, selection of seed and improvement of crops and other matters pertaining to the farm.

Premiums are offered at fairs in different sections of the State, for men, women and boys, in the departments of farm work.

ENTOMOLOGY.

The work of this division includes the inspection of fruit trees, which are not allowed to be sold in this State unless declared free from disease. Experts are sent to examine all nurseries for insect pests, and many commercial orchards are inspected. Directions are furnished for preparation of material for spraying and for its application. The San José Scale is being controlled in many places and further damage prevented by directions sent from this office. Other insect pests and diseases have been prevented or cured, and much valuable information given the people of the State on matters pertaining to insects of all kinds. This division is under the direction of Mr. Franklin Sherman, Jr., a thorough and enthusiastic worker.

HORTICULTURE.

Mr. W. N. Hutt supervises this division. Its work is devoted to promoting the interests of trucking, the home and market garden, also the culture, preservation and marketing the fruits of the State.

The test farm in Pender County is used in connection with the trucking interests of the eastern part of the State. On this farm $1,500 was realized from the sale of the lettuce raised on one and one-fourth acres of land.

The Blantyre farm, in Transylvania County, and the Greenwood farm, in Buncombe County, will be used largely to illustrate the culture, harvesting and marketing of fruit and the prevention and cure of diseases of fruit trees. Mr. Hutt has recently held in the apple section a short series of institutes to illustrate the proper packing of fruit for shipment. Institutes on pruning, spraying, etc., were held in proper season.

SALES OF LEAF TOBACCO.

Chapter 97, Laws 1907, requires the Department to preserve a record of the leaf tobacco sold on the floors of the warhouses of the State and publish them monthly. Each warehouse is required to furnish an account of its sales, and is guilty of a misdemeanor for failure.

THE BULLETIN.

The Bulletin is issued monthly, each month being devoted to a particular subject. Its value seems to be appreciated, both within and without the State, as is attested by its continually increasing mailing list, which is now nearly 35,000, an increase of 8,000 in four years. Besides the regular monthly Bulletin, special papers are issued when deemed of enough importance to justify the expense.

THE MUSEUM.

The State Geologist has, since the establishment of his department, in 1850, collected specimens of different kinds, principally of minerals, representing the natural resources of the State. In 1879 the care of the Museum and expense of maintenance were transferred to the Department of Agriculture. A building has been erected for its occupancy and its contents increased manifold. It is now by far the most extensive in its contents of anything of its nature south of Philadelphia, save the National Museum at Washington, D. C. To it, more than any other source, is attributable the fine displays the State has made at international, national and State expositions. It is the State's object-lesson, representing its resources in agriculture, timber, minerals, fishes, birds, game, animals and other flora and fauna.

It is under the efficient management of Mr. H. H. Brimley, as Curator, who has ably filled the position for thirteen years and added much in value and number to the contents.

As articles affected by time become undesirable they are replaced.

HALL OF HISTORY.

The Hall of History, so important a feature of the great State Museum, was begun in 1903, and in the time which has intervened a collection of objects illustrating every period of the life of North Carolina, as province, colony and State, has been so rapid that the number of objects considerably exceeds 5,000. The collection is particularly rich in objects of the Colonial and Revolutionary periods and that of the Civil War. The director has made several journeys in the State, all resulting in marked additions to the collection. The gifts, in the way of paintings, photographs, etc., already exceed $1,500 in value. Many lec

tures have been delivered each year in the Hall of History, and this objectlesson, the finest in the South, has proved a great stimulus to historical research and popular interest in the history of North Carolina. The collection has been made by and is in charge of Col. F. A. Olds, as director, and the objects therein are either gifts or loans. Any persons having possession of or knowing of the location of objects which have a bearing upon North Carolina history in any way are particularly requested to inform the director of this fact, as objects are thoroughly protected against injury by moths or other insects and are set before the public in the most attractive way.

THE DEBT FOR THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING AT THE A. AND M. COLLEGE.

The interest on this debt and $20,000 of the principal have been paid during these two years. The balance due on account of it is $30,000. In order to prosecute the proper work of the Department, it has been necessary to carry this debt. It is expected to cancel it during the succeeding two years.

VACANCIES IN THE BOARD.

The time of the following members of the Board of Agriculture expires March 9, 1909: Messrs. C. W. Mitchell, of the Second District, and R. W. Scott, of the Fifth District. Mr. R. L. Doughton, of the Eighth District, whose term would have expired at the same time, has resigned, having been elected to the State Senate.

Mr. W. J. Shuford, of Catawba County, has been appointed to the vacancy in the Ninth District caused by the resignation of W. A. Graham, appointed Commissioner. This term expires March 9, 1911.

LEGISLATION REQUESTED.

The attention of your Excellency is asked to the following desired legislation, and your approval thereof requested:

1. Authority to borrow not exceeding $100,000, to be used in erecting a new building and in making fireproof the newly erected part of the present structure, the money to be replaced in a series of years from the receipts of the Agricultural Department. The Department would appreciate it if the State would erect this building, as it is still carrying a debt of some thousands on the Agricultural building at the A. and M. College. It has developed the best department of its nature in the Southern States, and for promotion of its work a properly arranged building is very desirable, apart from the condition of the old, condemned structure, concerning which we submit the following: The present structure was built seventy or more years ago as a hotel. The foundation is not laid in lime mortar. Some of the sills rotted, and those which replaced them are not properly located. The east wall is out of plumb. The house was condemned and closed before the war. During the war it was used as offices for the Adjutant-General's Department of the State and a Confederate quartermaster. After the war it was again opened as a hotel, but was condemned and closed, and, as a condemned building, was bought by the Department of Agriculture. The foundation is insufficient, and, if sufficient, the building cannot be changed to such condition as is desirable for the work of the Department.

2. Placing the crop-pest work under the Department and abolishing the commission. The work of the crop pest was in effect transmitted to this Depart