Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-11-28
TIE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Interesting Fact From the Annual Re
port ofthc Com missioner of Agri-
culture-A2ricultur Statistics

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24-The Com.
missioner of Agriculture, In his an
nual report. paws a we'll merited com
pliment to Professor Dodge, the stat
isiican of the department, for
diligence and ability in his work, and
the value of monthly reaorts, which
he says has attracted great attention,
not only in this country but in Eu-
rope. The report of Professor Dodge
shows that between 1860 and 1880 the
value of meat increased from $780,,
100000 to $500, 600 600; corn, from
1850, $50 87S to 1904 SO 3G3; wheat
from 1924, 9S5 545 to S436 90S 1853;
hay, from Sl5l, 671, 16S 10 $409, SOS,
6S3 dAilv products, from $152 $50 600
ty 1852, 500, 600; cotton from $2ll, ,516,-
625 to s27l, 636, 121; and other prod
ucts IN proportion, more than doub
ling insaggregste!val and Increasing
it from 81 600, 600, 600 to s., 600 600, 900
in round numbers With good prices
the current production of agriculture
ia the United States can be little
short of S4, 600, 600, 900, and the values
are those of home markets and not
Eastern commercial cities or ports of
expectation.
The commissioner says: 1.-THE
wheat area is so much beyond the re
qulrements OF consu nption in this and
other countries as ta depress the price
to point unprecedented in recent
years, favoring at certain points the
use of wheat in feeding for pork pro
duction. The cause of this superabun-
dance is two-fold-frst, extension of
settlement in the northwestern prai-
ries and the dry plains of the Pacific
coast; and second, the extraordinary
period of comparative failure of Eu
ropean wheat for several years. The
progress of settlement must be less
rapid hereafter; and it has already
been followed by comparative plenty
These facts, products, and prices point
to the sharp necessity of adapting pro-
duction to consumption, TO supply
food products now now imported, to
give renumerative employment to ag-
ricultural labor, and food in variety
and cheapness to consumers.
The organization of the Bureau of
Animal Industry, the commissioner
says. has led to greatly increased num-
ber of demands for information, and
the existence of dangerous diseases
has been more promptly and fully re
ported than heretofore
OUR FORESTS.
On the subject of forestry, the re-
port says: "While the destruction Of
our forests is going on at constantly
increasing and alarming rate, it is
CRAFTY ing 10 know that the work of
planting trees for wind breaks and for
forest purposes is rapidly mere 4sing,
especially in some of our Western
States and Territories. From Nebrska
we have trustworthy information that
not less than A, 500, 900 trees have
been planted during the present year,
and more than 2, 900 bushels Of wal
nut and other tree seeds. Continued
investigations have been made in re
gard to the consumption of forests for
Legitimate purposes as well as By fire.
TAis consumption for the manufacture
of lumber is increasing in faster
ratio than is warranted by the in
crease of population, and consequent
natural demand The lumber market
is largely overstocked and the pro-
cess of manufacture continues to be
conducted In a wasteful manser.
when the fast decreasing force of sup
ply calls for tie utmost economy Ia
material. The great pine forests of
the Northwest are now depleted to
such an extent that Southern pine is
brought into competition with il in
the Chicago market, and perceptible
inroad has been made upon those vast
forests which cover SO large a proper
ton OF the gulf States. The same
reckless and wasteful methods of
numbering are pursued there which
have so rapidly consumed Northern
and Western forests. This condition
Of things makes more imperative
every year the endeavor TO preserve
the forests which form par. of the
public domain, and so TO guard and
contol them by law 50 as to make
them of the greatest and more lasting
benefit to the country. This bureau
will make an exhibition of articles
manufactured from the wood of
American forests at the New Orleans
Exposition. There will also be an ex-
hibitIon of living trees transplanted
from the arid regions of the West,
where it has been held that trees could
not be made TO grow on account of
the limited amount of rainfall This
tTansplanted grove will be an ocular
demonstration that the establishment
of trees, both for ornamental and
forest purposes, can be pushed much
farther along the dry Western plains
than has been supposed"
sILK CULTURE.
ssThe bureau has continued its la
bors for the promotion of silk culture
In the United States. In accordance