Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-08
IMPORTANT TO AaRIcULTUaIsTs
What we Import that Night be Produced in
the Uaitsd States.

In response to resolution of the
House of Representatives instructing
the Commissioner of Agriculture TO
furnish certain Information respecting
his Department, General Capr0n has
submitted the following letter giving
the facts required:
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, !
Washington, Jan. 81, 1870. J
Hon. Jas. @. Brine, Speaker House
Of Representatives.:
SIR: / have the honor to acknOwl-
edge the receipt of the following reso-
luton of the House OF Representatives,
bearing date January %, 1870:
1" RssOlUed, That with the view to
developing the agricultural resources
of the United States, and of intrOduc-
ing into this country the cultivation
of plants yielding materials valuable
in the arts and manufactures, the
Commissioner OF Agriculture be in
structed to inform this House Of the
extent and value of the imports of for
eign commodities susceptible of pro-
duction within the limits of this
country as plants useful for dye-stuffs,
medicines, food products, and for tex
tile and fibrOu5 material, ami for other
economic purpose"
L respond with pleasure to an in
quiTy SO suggestive of new industries,
agricultural and mechanical, by which
the teening millions of our future
population shall earn their bread and
enhance the national wealth, and for
which we have millions OF acres of
suitable lands in climates exactly
adapted to such productions.
When the productions of county
or district are limited to one or two
great market crops, there must of ne
Cessity recur seasons when the profit
desired is reduced to a minimum, and
consequent pecuniary loss is sus-
tanned. a large extent of land was
last year placed under cotton cultiva-
ton. The price of the staple was
high and its profits large. a cOntin-
Gance OF this increase Of area, and the
consequent neglect CT subordinate
crops will, eventually, and possibly
very soon, reduce the value and de
strOy the profit OF the main prOduc-
ton, and advance ruinOusly the price
Of essential, though neglected, minor
productions,
The culture OF wheat furnishes an
illustration precisely parallel. The
price CT a bushel OF wheat i'm Mime
sofa Is 10 day little more than the cost
of g pound OF butter, because wheat
fields have been unduly enlarged,
while cattle have been neglected. So
long az the production is not in ex-
cess of home consumption all goes
well, but when reckless cropping gear
after year upon the same land sWeils
the product beyond that point, and a
large surplus is thrown upon the for
eign markets III direct competition
with che cheap labor Of other coun-
tries, the price iaii5 below the cost OF
production, and the farmer must sui
fer tWo-f0!d l0s5-Of a depletion Jt
his land and his year of toll.
Then arises a necessity, in a country
so broad and fertile, for the culture Of
the greatest possible variety Of usefu!
plants, lest suffering and loss be the
result Of a total or partial want OF
market for produce OF one alone. To
diminish these oscillations in market
values, and IL place oar farming com
mauitg ahCye the risks arising lr0m
this cause, pFUpass IlQce extended
cultivation Uf certain plants, ana the
introduction of others not yet tried.
Such efforts are not only eminently
within the province Gs this Depart
ment, but are the dintInGt require
mcnts OF its charter, aud il IS made It's
peculiar function TO watch vlgliantly
over the progress of American agricui-
ture, and 10 divert tte rHrdl labor into
channels which may prove ulGFe
Profitable t. private enterprise and
more productive Ui national wealth.
To G-fset the diminished value OF an
excessive production Of cotton
greater breadth OF land should be de-
voted to the sugar cane, coffee, rice,
and various fruits, especially grapes
suited 10 wine making. In place Of
The alG.QSt exclusive yield of grain in
many sectiQus, 5ae sugar beet and
other roots should divide tGe Occupa-
tiun of the land.
There Is DuJ little variety in our ag-
ricultural production, and the soil,
even under continual ordinary manu-
RIM, loses Its productive capacity by
the toss Of GGe class Of mineral food.
The cultivation OF another article on
- - Land may yield profitable Fe-
turn, and al the same time tha soil is
recovering its equilibrium of mineral
elements.
For some time past the great object
which this department has had in
view has been to point out to the farm
ers OF the country the pressing neces-
sity of diversity OF agricultural labor.
The great extent Of oar territory, its
variety Of soil, climate, aud capahil-
ity, all point to the want OF, and the
benefit desirable from, a varied culti-
walton. Our people are apt to carry
with them, TO new localities whittier
they migrate, the same plans and pro-
cesSes OF culture which they prOlitably
pursued under very different climates,
and to overlook the material barriers
to profitable growth which nature has
rigi3ly set for cultivation; and thus
barren uniformity exists over an eE-
tent of country susceptible of a great
variety OF vegetable growth. One Of
the great uses of this Department is
TO lead the way in this progressive
not only by pointing out
new plants for introduction AMI test,
but also by experimenting extensive
" to ascertain what species may pro-
htably be cultivated in certain sec
tions where climate or other condi-
tiOns are favorable. To carry this
aim into successful practice q system
of exchange Of seeds has been adopted
with various parts OF the world, by
which ii has obtained many valuable
plants and seeds, natives of inter
tropical and south temperate zones.
These seeds have been planted in our
COnserVatOFie5 with the view Of ascer-
tanning within what limits Of the cOun-
try they may be proftably grown in
open ground. Such experiments in-
vOlved time and expenditure; but
they may be essential to the educa-
ting of our people up to the necessity
Tor a cultivation varied according to
the natural influences of climate and
latitude.
The jute-plant, (C0rchOrus), tea and
coffee and cinnamon can be grown
in the United States. The cultivation
of the latter should not be left to pri-
vate enterprise at first, but ought TO
be conducted on plantations by the
Government until a large number of
healthy and acclimated plants are OBJ
tanned for distribution. The value of
these four plants, if produced within
our borders, j. shown by the tables to
be over $4,000, 600 ! do not say that
we can at this moment superc de by
our own production foreign tea and
coffee, hut if we cannot it is solely due
to the cost of labor, and not to climatic
ineapability.
Sugar is one of those products which