HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 3, 1863.

Resolved, That there be printed by the Superintendent of Public Printing, under the direction of the Commissioner of Agriculture, one hundred thousand extra copies of the report of the Department of Agriculture for 1862, for the use of this present House, and twenty thou sand extra copies for distribution by that department.

Attest:

EM. ETHERIDGE, Clerk.

REPORT

OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby established at the seat of government of the United States a Department of Agriculture, the general designs and duties of which shall be to acquire and to diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with agriculture in the most general and comprehensive sense of that word, and to procure, propagate, and distribute among the people new and valuable seeds and plants. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a "Commissioner of Agriculture," who shall be the chief executive officer of the Department of Agriculture, who shall hold his office by a tenure similar to that of other civil officers appointed by the President, and who shall receive for his compensation a salary of three thousand dollars per annum.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Agriculture to acquire and preserve in his department all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain by means of books and correspondence, and by practical and scientific experiments, (accurate records of which experiments shall be kept in his office,) by the collection of statistics, and by any other appropriate means within his power; to collect, as he may be able, new and valuable seeds and plants; to test, by cultivation, the value of such of them as may require such tests; to propagate such as may be worthy of propagation, and to distribute them among agriculturists. He shall annually make a general report in writing of his acts to the President and to Congress, in which he may recommend the publication of papers forming parts of or accompanying his report, which report shall also contain an account of all moneys received and expended by him. He shall also make special reports on particular subjects whenever required to do so by the President or either house of Congress, or when he shall think the subject in his charge requires it. He shall receive and have charge of all the property of the agricultural division of the Patent Office in the Department of the Interior, including the fixtures and property of the propagating garden. He shall direct and superintend the expenditure of all money appropriated by Congress to the department, and render accounts thereof, and also of all money heretofore appropriated for agriculture and remaining unexpended. And said Commissioner may send and receive through the mails, free of charge, all communications and other matter pertaining to the business of his department, not exceeding in weight thirty-two ounces.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioner of Agriculture shall appoint a chief clerk, with a salary of two thousand dollars, who in all cases during the necessary absence of the Commissioner, or when the said principal office shall become vacant, shall perform the duties of Commissioner, and he shall appoint such other employés as Congress may from time to time provide, with salaries corresponding to the salaries of similar officers in other departments of the government; and he shall, as Congress may from time to time provide, employ other persons, for such time as their services may be needed, including chemists, botanists, entomologists, and other persons skilled in the natural sciences pertaining to agriculture. And the said Commissioner, and every other person to be appointed in the said department, shall, before he enters upon the duties of his office or appointment, make cath or affirmation truly and faithfully to execute the trust committed to him. And the said Commissioner and the chief clerk shall also, before entering upon their duties, severally give bonds with sureties to the Treasurer of the United States, the former in the sum of ten thousand dollars, and the latter in the sum of five thousand dollars, conditional, to render a true

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 3, 1863.

Resolved, That there be printed by the Superintendent of Public Printing, under the direc tion of the Commissioner of Agriculture, one hundred thousand extra copies of the report of the Department of Agriculture for 1862, for the use of this present House, and twenty thou sand extra copies for distribution by that department.

Attest:

EM. ETHERIDGE, Clerk.

REPORT

OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby established at the seat of government of the United States a Department of Agriculture, the general designs and duties of which shall be to acquire and to diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with agriculture in the most general and comprehensive sense of that word, and to procure, propagate, and distribute among the people new and valuable seeds and plants. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a "Commissioner of Agriculture," who shall be the chief executive officer of the Department of Agriculture, who shall hold his office by a tenure similar to that of other civil officers appointed by the President, and who shall receive for his compensation a salary of three thousand dollars per annum.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Agriculture to acquire and preserve in his department all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain by means of books and correspondence, and by practical and Scientific experimeuts, (accurate records of which experiments shall be kept in his office,) by the collection able, new and valuable seeds and plants; to test, by cultivation, the value of such of them able, tistics, and by any other appropriate means within his power; to collect, as he may be tribute them among agriculturists. He shall annually make a general report in writing of as may require such tests; to propagate such as may be worthy of propagation, and to dishis acts to the President and to Congress, in which he may recommend the publication of papers forming parts of or accompanying his report, which report shall also contain an account of all moneys received and expended by him. He shall also make special reports on particular subjects whenever required to do so by the President or either house of Conhave charge of all the property of the agricultural division of the Patent Office in the Departgress, or when he shall think the subject in his charge requires it. He shall receive and shall direct and superintend the expenditure of all money appropriated by Congress to the ment of the Interior, including the fixtures and property of the propagating garden. He department, and render accounts thereof, and also of all money heretofore appropriated for through the mails, free of charge, all communications and other matter pertaining to the business of his department, not exceeding in weight thirty-two ounces. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioner of Agriculture shall appoint a

chief clerk, with a

salary of two thousand in all the necessary perform the duties of Commissioner, and he shall appoint such other employés as Congress absence of the Commissioner, or when the said principal office shall become vacant, shall in other time to time provide, with salaries corresponding to the salaries of similar officers in other departments of the government; and he shall, as Congress may from time to time chemists, botanists, entomologists, and other persons skilled in the natural sciences pertaining

id department, shall, before he enters upon the duties of his office or appointment, make Oath Or affirmation truly and faithfully to execute the trust committed to him. And the said: Commissioner and the chief clerk shall also, before entering upon their duties, severally give bonds with sureties to the Treasurer of the United States, the former in the sum of ten thouand dollars, and the latter in the sum of five thousand dollars, conditional, to render a true

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 3, 1863.

Resolved, That there be printed by the Superintendent of Public Printing, under the direc tion of the Commissioner of Agriculture, one hundred thousand extra copies of the report of the Department of Agriculture for 1862, for the use of this present House, and twenty thou sand extra copies for distribution by that department.

Attest:

EM. ETHERIDGE, Clerk.