Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-12-31
'asurultafaI.



The New Report Of agriculture.
A washhgton eorreapondadt Of The
Prairie FasmS, aaya "a
l do not mean the volume no V, In press
for 1867, but the report 81 the Commission-
er for 1858 It is not vet printed, but am
permitted to give you a little inkling Of ita
contents in advance of publication. II is
practical and business like, to begin with
not going back to the agricultural history
of Rome, like some former documents Of
this kind, but dealing with the events of
the present year, and presenting the issues
Of the present time. ~ ttf7 ~
That the Commissioner appreciates the
capabilities Of the National Department of
Agriculture the following will show:
'1t is the function Of this Department
to aid this great foundation interest, in all
legislation affecting it. in the diffusion of
practical information concerning 1t, and in
the dissemination and testing Of rare and
untried plants Of other countries that
promise to enrich its store Of production.
This work involves the breadth and scope
OF statesman's powers, o familiarity with
the latest discoveries of the natural sci
ences and knowledge and sturdy sense
that intuitively judges aright in all the ac-
tualities of every day life. If its true OBJ
ject and proper function is understood,
work Of great magnitude and importance
is opened, requiring variety of skilled
official labor and special training in pre-
paration for it. A beginning has been
made, small it may be but foreshadowing,
it is believed, a future fraught with good to
agriculture and to the country"
m SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE
The Commissioner remarks upon the
evidences of vitality il Southern Agricul-
ture, and the gradual tranquilization Of So
cial and business elements after the de-
spondency from losses in civil war, the
change in the labor iystem, and disruption
of families and the impoverishment of
states. He opposes the folly of expatria-
ton, and advises against removal, as an
aggrayation Of evils that industry and con-
tentment alone can cure, showing plainly
that they can make little by forced sales of
property that nobody is ready to buy, or by
undertaking to travel without money enough
to liyeat home The impetus given to south
ern agriculture by northern capital and
energy is shown, and, more advantageous
results are predicted. The remarkable
fact is promulgated that the cotton of 1867
brought more money Though il was cur
rency and not as valuable as gold. than
the famous crop Of 1859; and that the
yield has already attained the figures of
1840, and is more than half those of 1859
in pounds, when crop was produced that,
with similar ones following it, would have
glutted the market and depressed prices
The Commissioner does not believe that
Cotton cultureisa paying business in its
best estate. The crop averages but $685. 90
per acre, while wheat averages $780,
with quarter Of the labor
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.
The report takes q noble stand against
the proposition of Nova Scotia coal and
potato buyers, Canada wool dealers, and
other class interests, who wish to throw
down thousand miles of fence between us
and the Dominion, for the admission of
beef mutton, wool, wheat, etc., free Of oil
duty, while we pay our taxes and groan
under the competition. 1t says:
"The farmers of this country, while en-
during the necessary burden Of internal
revenue taxations andsubmitting cheerfully |
to imports upon all foreign products con-
sumed by them, will enter q vigorous pro- |
test against any proposition for the re-
newal of the abrogated reciprocity treaty, |
or any arrangements admitting untaxed |
and low priced Canadian productions Gus
toms free, or any lower rate of duty than is
provided in existing laws, regulating the
tariff upon similar imports from other ma
tionalities. They justly demand equality
in taxation, and in exemption from its bur-
dens; they ask no fayors for class preemi-
nent in numbers that they would not ac-
cord to one of the smallest in the nation,
and properly regard with jealousy any
assumption Of CLAIMS, for special privileges
for the few at the expense of ike many
They cannot see the justice Of subjecting
farmers to direct and ruinous competition
ton in wheat, beef, wool, and all pro.
ducts of the farm, along line Of thou
sands of miles in extent, for the benefit of
foreigners, who bear none of our burdens,
and for the enrichment of o few of
our citizens who stand in necessary yet
unproductive position between the pro-
ducer and the consumer Such treaty of
reciprocity would bear with peculiar hard
ship upon the wool growing interest, and
especially upon the production of combing
woods, the product of Canada, fibre in
growing demand, which our farmers can
readily supply, and at the same time fur.
nish the markets with superior mutton of
superior quality, if no unjust discrimina-
tion is permitted in the practical working
Of the wool tariff. Whatever settlement of
questions of fisheries or navigation may be
desirable, it is hoped that no advantages
may be secured by concessions prejudicial
to the farming interest"
r INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE.
The system of international exchanges
recently adopted, is referred to, showing
that all quarters of the globe are to be
placed under contribution to enlarge and
enrich the Museum of Agriculture. Among
the collection promised, are thousand
samples of textile fbres from India. 1t is
to have the exchanges with the
Indian Museum in London reduplieated,
and marked with identical numbers for
reference in Washington, in London, and
IN the eleven local museums in India.
bdf GRAPES AND WINE.
The progressing condition Of grape cul-
lure demands share Of attention, and
wise foreign grape growers who assume to
teach the art here, and to show how easily
foreign varieties can be grown in vineyards
are cautioned against inevitable failure. He
predicts that we shall yet equal Europe in.
quality of grapes, ~. ,r
GLOWING OUR own ou1NINE. ~ft
The attention of Congress is called to
the successful experiment of Great Britain
in growing the Cinchona which produces