276     THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



  The Seed branch of this Department occu-
pies a separate building and, during the busy
season, employs about 15 men and 40 women.
  A few words of the controlling head and of
the heads of bureaus:
  Commissioner Newton is understood to have
been a Pennsylvania farmer of much experi-
ence and good success. Of this we know noth-
ing personally. We are fully satisfied, howev-
er, that he is a man of earnest desires for the
progress of indastry, and withal so identified
with the origin of the Department that the
country is sure of the best efforts of all his
energies. His plans, as far as unfolded, give
evidence of sagacity and foresight, and his
nominationsfor the several official positions in
his Department are further proof of good prac,
tical judgment. We shall continue to look for
good results daring his administration.
  Mr. James S. Grinnell, Esq., for some time
Acting, but only lately confirmed, as Chief
Clerk in the Department, appears to us espe-
cially well qualified for the important position
be holds. An attorney by profession, but also
the successful manager of a good Massachu-
setts farm, and for several years secretary of
one of the most flourishing county agricultural
societies of that commonwealth, he readily
makes himself at Rome in both the business
and the practical departments of the office.
He is, moreover, possessed of those graces of
temper which, although so essential in such a
place, are too often quite wanting on the part
of those who must deal extensively with the
public. Moreover, his course, thus far, has
been characterized by a most commendable
promptness, energy, and faithfulness to the
discharge of his arduous duties.
   Prof. Wetherell we have never seen. As a
 chemist he has something of a reputation in
 the country and, we doubt not, is quite com-
 petent to the important duties of his office.
   Prof. Glover, of Philadelphia, the Entom 1-
 ogist, is an enthusiast, and (if he does not nos)
 is destined to stand at the head of this depart-
 ment of Natural History in this country. He
 had pursued the study of his profession and
 the -ork of making oellbotions many yewn



previous to receiving his present appointment,
and is now prepared to give to the Agricultur-
al Department the rich fruits of a lifetime of
laborious research. He is about cwnjleting *
valuable work on entomological claekfi0alion,
which appears to us very superior to anything
now extant.
  Mr. William Saunders, long and favorably
known as a leading landscape gardener and a
popular writer on horticultural subjects, is, by
late appointment, Superintendent of the Ex-
perimental Gardens. Trained to his profession
in Great Britain, endowed with good natural
capacities for advancing the art and science of
gardening, and fitted by many years of prac-
tice and study in this country to serve the
public in this new field, we rejoice in his ap-
pointment as an important element in the pro-
spective success and popularity of the Depart-
ment.  Instead of a mere fancy garden,
growing useless plants by the thousand and
yielding scarcely anything more than a crop
of boquets for Washington officials, he will
make it a garden for proving, in the most eco-
nomical manner, the qualities of really prom-
ising foreign plants, and for determining, by
carefully conducted experiments, the best
methods of culture.
   Mr. Bollman, of Indiana, lately appointed
to take charge of the Statistical Bureau, has
arrived and entered upon his duties. By pro-
fession he has been a farmer, newspaper cor-
respondent, legislative reporter, &c. He seems
to be a man of sound practical views, with
habits of thought on all the important indus-
trial topics of the day; and imbued as he is
with a strong sense of the great importance of
his bureau, we have good hopes of his success.
The plan instituted by Mr. Grinnell for col-
lecting and publishing monthly stgtistics of
the most important crops, in alt parts ef the
country, meets with his cordial approval and
will engage his best endeavors.
   Tbhe Alt~tbution of'seeds tias been"monb
 fait.fully and judieionsly made the past seAn
 than ever before, and we have good reason to
 believe that the future will show yet further



. improrements in this respect.



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