(Roughly) Daily

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From the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), “Origins and Primary Regions of Diversity of Agricultural Crops.”

* St. Basil

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As we reap what we sow, we might recall that it was on this date in 1886 that Congress recognized and established by law (24 Stat. L.103), the Division of Forestry in the Department of Agriculture.  Created in 1881 by fiat of the then-Commissioner of Agriculture, it’s initial remit was to assess the quality and conditions of forests in the United States.  In 1891, its mandate was expanded to include authorization to withdraw land from the public domain as “forest reserves,” to be managed by the Department of the Interior– the precursor to America’s National Forest and National Park program.

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