Page:The National Geographic Magazine Vol 16 1905.djvu/110

lets. That will be the position of Russia in this war. We propose to eliminate disease as a factor. Every man who dies in our army must fall on the field of battle. In this way we shall neutralize the superiority of Russian numbers and stand on a comparatively equal footing."

Japan is the first country in the world to recognize that the greatest enemy in war is not the army of the invader, but of a foe more treacherous and dangerous—preventable disease, found lurking in every camp.

If wars are inevitable and the slaughter of men must go on—and I believe wars are inevitable and that most of them are ultimately beneficial—then, for the love of God, let our men be killed legitimately, on the field, fighting for the stake at issue—not drop them by the wayside by preventable disease, as we did in the Spanish-American war—1,400 for every 100 that died in action. It is for the 1,400 poor devils who are sacrificed—never for the 100 who fall gallantly fighting—that I offer my prayer.

The state deprives the soldier of his liberty, prescribes his exercises, equipment, dress, diet, the locality in which he shall reside, and in the hour of danger expects him, if necessary, to lay down his life in its defense and honor. It should therefore give him the best sanitation and the best medical supervision that the science of the age—be it Japanese or Patagonian—can devise.

In the January number of this Magazine considerable mention was made of the work of the Department of Agriculture during 1904. The following paragraphs give information on certain lines of work which were not then described for lack of space.

The Secretary of Agriculture reports much progress made during 1904 on the alkali reclamation tracts established during the year previous, and indications point to the complete reclamation of the lands under experimentation at an early day. At the inception of the work on a 40-acre tract near Salt Lake City, a soil survey showed the first 4 feet of soil to contain more than 6,650 tons of soluble salts. In May, 1903, eight months after, there had been removed by drainage nearly 50 per cent of this immense total, and in the following October only 1,221 tons remained in the entire tract. The progress of similar work on a 20-acre tract at Fresno, Cal., has been no less gratifying. The Secretary declares his full confidence in the final success of this work and a firm belief that it will lead to individual or concerted action on the part of those most interested, with the result of greatly benefiting both the agricultural and stock-raising interests.

In the line of tobacco investigations which are carried on by the Bureau of Soils the most important work during the year was the experimental growing of Cuban seed tobacco on certain soils in Texas, Alabama, and South Carolina. Samples of tobaccos grown in 1903 were submitted to the trade, and the Texas leaf was found to have considerable merit both in regard to flavor and aroma. Some have pronounced it to be superior to any filler yet grown in this country. The Alabama filler leaf is considered fair. Final judgment of the success of this venture, however, must await further advices from dealers and manufacturers. Growing of the