Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-12-03
CLEARFIELD, Pa, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1877
RA1slNG ooRKs IND THINGS.

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PA ISyNG rORKS AND THINGS s
In all probability thousands Of those
who were interested in agriculture ID
the cvcntful year Of 1873 are dead, but
that doesn't interfere with tho publica
ton Of Commissioner Lc Dues report
on the crops and things Of that ancient
period. Hc has even taken the pains
TO get the report before tho public al
this particular time, doubtless with the
pleasant purpose OF atfording the pub
lie something nice to read as holiday
season comes on. An agricultural 70.
| port has great merits in this way il
is among tho very best of our popular
literature and is within reach Of every.
body. The great care which Commits.
sioner Le Due has taken to prevent
the premature publication Of his inval.
liable work is one of the slight owl
dences OF his great usefulness. Printed
now, year or moro after the occur
renee OF nearly all that is so graph.
cally described in It's pages, it Is re-
moved from the excitement and en-.
barrassmcnt of contemporary passion.
AS part OF the history of n former
age il will receive the calm and impair.
tial consideration of all men and wo.
men OF this time who know anything
about farming. To be sure, there is
nothing about farming in the book,
but it is all the more valuable on that
account, and the three hundred thou
sand copies of this great national work
will divide themselves up between the
iunk-shops and the public libraries Of
the country in way to prove the in.
dispensable nature Of the publication.
The casual reader Of the report Just
issued--presuming II is not too much to
presume that it win have casual reader
will detect that it is more generally
written in the English language than
was the previous report. Commits
sioner lie Due himself seems to prefer
English, and since he has turned of
some of the professional men of the
department he has apparently con.
cluded to have less science and agricul.
turc in his book and more English,
which is a good thing, for he who in.
dustriously cultivates the proper use of
the English language against the dis.
advantages of the American soil and
climate must prove public benefactor,
The point in which tho Commissioners
book will prove q sad disappointment
is in the account of the experiments
with tea and similar articles which
have been growing into immense crops
in the Commissioners mind. but which
are not vet ready for public use. Tea.
we find, is of slow growth, and il NAV
be several years before tho success of
the industry in this country can be
known. On the subject of bamboo
Mr.. lie Due is strongly silent; he
doesn't even tell what has become of
the bamboo shoots which were brought
all the way from Japan but as BAN.
boo has generally gono ont of fashion
ior umbrella sticks its of very little
consequence. Tho Peruvian potatoes
which were imported were found, upon
boiling. to be very nice potatoes in.
decd as good as q Commissioner of
Agriculture could want to eat but
there is nowhere any account OF how
they turned out when they were
planted which is-a vcry provoking
omission, since the experiment OF rails
ing potatoes ready boiled had never
before been tried. The most Of this
disappointment is compensated for how.
ever, by the able section of the bool,
on the growth Of the cork tree. which
is translated from Spanish pamphlet.
Commissioner Le Due feels confident
that the climate of some portions OF
the United States is suitable TO tho cul.
tivation of cork, but hitherto cork in
this country has been chiefly raised by
means OF corkscrew. This has been
a popular but expensive method, corks
so raised frequently costing as much as
five dollars each, and the country is
prepared TO welcome any suggestion
which shall cheaper the price. 1t is
possible that a proper study of the
F.aet L.. hi 4