National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-12-05
THE Chief OF THE FARMERS.
COMMISSIONER CoLMAN on A YEARS
AGRICULTURAL RESULTS.
The Needs and Work of His Great De-
partment-whnt the Various Bureaus
Have Accomplished and What They
Hope to DO.

missioner Of agriculture:
For many years, he says, IL has become
moro and more apparent that one great need
q the agricultural interests OF the Uuited
states is a better understanding and more
intimate relation between the several agrl-
cultural aud experiment stations, and a
more practical cooperation between these
Institutions and the department OF agrlcul-
ture. These colleges were endowed by
Congress. They arc separately carrying on
experimental an expense of time and means,
aud yet without any central head through
which to report and compare results with
each other The department should have
full authority and ample means TO avail IT,
self Of the peculiar advantages offered by
these endowed institutions, in order to test
I'm manner and on scale sufficient to deter
mine all questionable points relative to tho
adaptabillty OF new and rare seed to the
various sections OF our country. The in
situations alluded to, he says, warmly APP
prove OF this plan, and are aiding me with
their suggestions and cooperation.
OF the bureau Of animal industry he says:
1.-THE law establishing the bureau does not
authorize the slaughter OF animals affected
with contagious diseases, aud it is impossl-
bic for the department TO maintain under Il
effectual quarantine. The characteristics Of
pleuro- pneumonia make IL difficult dis
case to eXtirp0tc except by the slaughter Of
all affected animals aud the slaughter or
quarantine OF all that have been exposed.
Such, he adds, Is now the policy OF most
civilized nations. He describes the serious
effect upon our foreign trade In live stock
resulting from the existence of contagious
diseases among cattle, sheep, aud swine,
ard says that the restrictions upon our ter
state commerce from the same cause have
been a very great burden, and that the re-
duction In the value OF cattle In the affected
states has been enormOus.D
OF the work Of the division of chemistry
he Gays the investigation of the influence OF
climate and soil in the composition of
cereals has progressed far enough to scien-
tiflcally determine what parts of the country
produce the best cereals.
Experiments are described which were
undertaken with a purpose to check the
present enormous waste OF sugar, fully one
half in the milling process, and with highly
gratifying results SO far us the direct pur-
pose was concerned, 09 per cent. of the
sugars present in the plants subjected TO
experiments having been secured. There
remain, however, difficulties which inter
fere with the economical working of the
new process, to overcome which further eX-
periments will be undertaken next year.
In view OF the important results achieved
in this direction the chemist Of the depart
ment has been sent to Europe to fatnilarlze
himself more thoroughly with the processes
of diffusion and carbonatation, and to ex-
amino recently designed machinery with
view to purchase such apl aratus as 10 neces-
sary to carry on the proposed experiments
next year.
The division has also begun an important
series Of Investigations in food adulteraton.
The work has, SO far, been chiefly with but
ter aud honey, but II Is proposed to extend
IL until uniform methods of examination
and standards Of comparison are established.
In hn nntn nj u eli Nt,., 81
has greatly increased during the year, and
Prof. Riley considers that under conditions
the most favorable tograsshopper increase,
the injury can never be rs widespread as
it has been IN the past year, owing to the adj
vance and increase In settlement In the
northwest
Much attention has been given In this
division TO agriculture, and the work In re-
spect to silk culture has been much ex-
tended.
The annual report Of Mr.. Dodge, statistl-
clan of the department, for the present year
contains, the commissioner says, "a review
Of the cost Of agricultural production dur
ing the fifteen years, which shows an esti-
mated increase In corn of 37,000,000 acres
orS0 per cent; In wheat of 20,000,O00 acres
or los per cent; In oats of 13,000,000 acres
or 142 per cent. In all cereals taken together
100000 acres or 81 per cent The enlarge
ment Of the wheat area was extraordinary
during the period Of partial failure of the
crops OF western Europe; the extension of
the breadth In maize was aided by the rise of
the foreign trade in beeves and fresh meats,
and by the sudden engagements Of exports
of pork products, induced by the cheapness
Of corn, and the cultivation of oats has re-
ceived special impetus from the seeding OF
rust-proof varieties in the south, aud from
the necessity of less heating feed for horses
than too exclusive maize ration. The in-
crease from 69,000,000 acres of cereals In
1S70---a breadth nearly equal to the superb
eco acres, an increase OF 67,OO0,000 acres
since 1870, means the seeding and harvest
ing OF additional area equal to tho entire
surface of Iowa and North Carolina.n
The average estimated product of the
principal food crops of the last five years is
compared with the average OF the ten years
preceding, from 1870 TO 1879, inclusive,
showing an enormous annual increase In
the aggregate as well as per acre.
"The average yield of corn,n he con.
tinues, "has been $50 bushels per acre,
against 28.1 for the preceding period
the average value has, therefore, been
higher, 44.7 cents per bushel instead Of AZ o,
and the average an acre Of $l0.67 instead
Of Sl1.54.
periods are nearly identical, 1873 and 1874
bushels, respectively, but the price has
averaged SOL cents Instead of 1919, the de-
mand not being equal to the supply"
The commissioner, referring TO the re-
quest of the American Pharmaceutical
Association, that the commissioner Of agri.
culture take measures for the introduction
into cultivation in this country Of such Of
the important foreign medicinal plants as
would be adapted to our climate, in order
that they might be readily obtainable In
fresh state and that another industry
might be added to our country's resources
says there is no doubt that many OF the
most important medicinal plants are per.
fectly adapted to our climate and could be
well that means, should be taken to give
them proper trial. Fears IRE expressed
he adds, that some Of these plants are be
coming exterminated In their native sta,
tions and inrcspect to some Of them as, fol
instance, the ginseng plant, the time has
come when they may probably be made the
objects of profitable cultivation. .a,-
There Is perhaps, the commissioner says,
no subject In which the department can be
used to greater benefit than In It's attention
to forestry interests, and, considering the
vast importance to the nation Of proper
investigation Of the subject, no branch has
been more poorly endowed by Congress
Efforts should be made at once TO arouse
and enlighten the people TO the dangers
which threaten us through the destruction
of the forests. "Arbor days" should be in-
stituted in all the states, the science OF for
estry should be taught In schools, and the
organization OF local and state forestry
societies should be encouraged. He con
tinues: at is already apparent that efforts
for the promotion Of forest tree planting
through liberal laws on the part of the
United States, and through various pre-
miums and exemptions on the part OF Ger
tain states, are not 10 meet with abundant
success. Inducement having failed, educa
ton should now be attempted Such au
effort TO be successful ought to be inau
gurated by the general government itself
Adequate means should be forthcoming tC
deal with this national necessity III a ma
tional way.