Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-15
Annual Report Of Commissioner Ca.
prom.

The following is an abstract of the agricultural
report of Commissioner Capron for the present
year:
The Commissioner begins by expressing his
qualification at being able to represent the great
interest of agriculture as prosperous, although he
asserts the present season has been one to test
severely the capabilities OF our soils. He says,
however. that the fact of increased production, III
q season remarkable for excessive heat, in cOun-
try assumed to be liable to injurious extremes Of
temperature and seasons Of continued aridity, af-
fords strong evidence of the available depth and
fertility of our arabic land.
An examination in detail of the facts of the
years production, in the light OF enlightened ag-
ricultural experience and of science applied to
hUsbandry, would furnish hints TO improvement
and aids to progress, which, II adopted generally,
would increase the present value OF farm produc-
ton to the extent of $500 600 00 1t would do more
it would tend to the increase of the fertility of
the SOIL which, now, in nine farms ont of ten, il an
nually decreasing, and 1t would proportonably ad-
vance its intrinsic as well as market value.
1t is gratifying to believe, from indubitable evil
dence, the examples of rational and recuperative
culture relatively increasing, however slowly
and gradually making inroads upon the destruc-
tive, irrational modes SO generally prevalent.
These examples are most numerous in the Middle
States, are seen with comparative frequency IN the
older sections of the West, are found occasional
ly in New England, and are beginning to be noted
in the Southern States; but there Is no State In
which exhaustive and irrational culture IL not
predominant. While the cost of good land Is
less than the interest its intrinsic value, and its
yearly income may be enhanced at the expense of
the permanent investment, there IL little hope
that present necessity or short-sighted greed Will
fail to work its Improvement; but with high prices,
both of land and labor, it is more than folly to ex-
pect remuneratiye profits from unsystematic and
unscientifc culture.
After specifications the Commissioner discusses
the subject of industrial education. He refers to
agricultural colleges in existence in many States,
and saws that he Is confident that these institu-
tons are destined TO become vital power in the
land, which colleges weighted with curriculum"
of studies of classical ages can never exert; but
IL will be many years before their best fruits will
begin to appear, and many mistakes will be made,
(some of them, possibly, almost ia al in their
eharacter), misconceptions of the sphere OF their
highest utility will occur, and Beiciency will un-
doubtedly the beauty Of their actical results;
but ultimately, when the grand idea Of practical
education in America shall be fully crystaized,
and their faculties shall be composed OF young
and vigorous men, developed within these insitu-
tons and under the influence OF higher progress
sion in physical and practical science, then their
true utility and beneticent influences will begin to
appear. In view of this he respectfully suggests
the importance of an authorization, by Congress,
Of a commission, under the direction of the Aeri-
cultural Department, to examine minutely the
plan OF organization, the construction OF build
ings management of grounds. and general work
ings of the industrial colleges organized under
the Congressional land grant, with instructions to
report the next Congress for the information OF
the country and the benefit of institutions of sim
liar character yet 10 be organized. r
The Commissioner thinks 1t rcJyFefteu
that 90 many still adhere to the impracticable idea
Of locomotive traction. The reports of the actual
work of the five steam pows now in operation by
stationary ear zines iu this country, are extremely
favorable to the idea Of ultimate in the
luton of the problem of steam In blowing as an
adjunct of our agriculture.
Silk culture In California has been attended with
great success up TO the present time, elk cultur-
lists claiming that the climate of that State Is pecu-
liarly adapted to the rearing OF silkworms on ac-
count OF the dryness and equality of the tempera-
ture, aud the rare occurrence OF severe thunder
storms. In Utah experiments have been made
with success in feeding the worms upon the leaves
OF the Usage orange instead Of the mulberry The
Japanese silk-worin, oa,nea cynthfa, on the allan
thus, Ia now perfectly accllnated, and breeds In
the open air ia Brooklyn, Philadelphia and other
places, but as yet / have heard nothing Of the use
Of its cocoons in manufacture. Two other silk
producing worms, 4hQcus yqDaq mi and p6TnW
have been bred this season in Brooklyn, bat are
yet TOO scarce TO be Of any value.
The Commissioner speaks OF the Cmchona or
Peruvian bark tree one deserving Of great con-
sheraton. The supply is limited and precarious,
with no means of extension by propagation or
cultivation 10 South American nations. He recon-
mends the establishment of one or more national
plantations at points aelected On account of their
favorable climatic influences. The time IL now
oppol tune for commencing such work, since o
supply of young trees ID easily Obtainable from
source whence no real difficulty arising from
transport and transplaDtation would occur. The
propagation of the Cinchona has been commenced
In the experimental division of the department
with highly successful results, and several hun
dred specimens now on hand will be increased to
thousands whenever facilities are Afforded for
testing the feasibility of successful growth in the
open air. The Commissioner earnestly hopes
that an appropriation will be granted by Congress
for this purpose.
The Commissioner, after referring to the high
order Of talent required In the clerical force Of
the department, says that for such labor the most
meagre compensation only ia offered, and 1t IL
found difficult to obtain an increase Of suitable
service, and impossible to remuperate properly
that already employed, which Is found 10 be most
efficient and reliable, while that which IL practical
ly useless for the purpose il offered IN unlimited
measure He therefore believes that just and
wise revision Of clerical salaries would greatly
increase the efficiency or the department.
The work Of the past year includes the collec-
ton OF the facts OF production and experiment
throughout the world, the publication Of general
and special reports, Investigations In natural
science in it's relation 20 rural efforts, the intro
duction and propagation Of many new and prom
Using plants and the increase and improvement of
farm products by the dissemination Of seeds and
plants.
The Commissioner again calls attention to the
important necessity of establishing division Of
veterinary surgery in the department. He says the
value Of stock lost annually from disease is enor
mona and thrca not only y delimata onr ami