Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-12-03
RAISING CORKS AND THINGS.
In all probability thousands Of those

In all probability thousands Of those
who were interested in agriculture in
the eventful year of 1878 are dead, but
that doesn't interfere with the publica-
ton of Commissioner lie Dues report
on the crops and things Of that ancient
period. He has even taken the pains
to get the report before tho public at
this particular time, doubtless with the
pleasant purpose oil atfording the pub
lie something nice to read as a holiday
season comes on. An agricultural no.
| port has great merits in this way it
is among the very best of our popular
literature and is within reach Of every.
body. The great care which Commits
sioner lie Due has taken to prevent
the premature publication of his inval.
liable work is one of the slight evil
dences Of his great usefulness. Printed
now, year or more after the occur
renee OF nearly all that is 80 graphi-
cally described in its pages, it is re-
moved from the excitement and EN-.
barrassment of contemporary passion.
AS part OF tho history of q 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 il 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
junk shops and the public libraries Of
the country in way to prove tho in
dispensabe nature of the publication.
The casual reader of the report just
ssued---presuming 1t is not too much to
presume thatit viii have casual reader
will detect that it is more generally
written in the English language than
was the previous report. Commits
sioner Lc Due himself seems TO prefer
English, and since he has turned off
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 cuItivates 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 the 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 yet ready for public use. Tea,
we find, is of slow growth, and it may
be several years before tho success of
the industry in this country can be
known. On the subject Of bamboo
Mr.. Lo Due is strongly silent; he
doesn't oven tell what has become of
the bamboo shoots which were brought
all the way from Japan but as bam-
boo has generally gone out Of fashion
Tor umbrella sticks it's Of very little
consequence. The Peruvian potatoes
which were imported were found, upon
boiling, to bo very nice potatoes in.
deed, as good as Commissioner Of
Agriculture could want to eat, bnt
there is nowhere any account OF how
they turned out when they we're
planted which is'a very 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 book
on the growth of the cork tree, which
is translated from Spanish pamphlet.
Commissioner lie Due feels confident
that the climate Of some portions OF
the United States is suitable to the cul-
tivation of cork, but hitherto cork in
this country has been chiefly raised by
means OF corkscrew. This has been
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 tho
nature and habits Of tho cork viii dc.
velop its real usefulness, and il the in
telligence of the Agricultural Bureau
is only allowed to spread, we shall
soon be able to raise the finest imported
champaignes by merely planting the
old champagne corks that now 90 to
waste.
An that The Drbartmnnt of Aoricnl.,