The Portland daily press., 1885-11-30
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Commissioner Coleman Presents his
Annual Report.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 29.-Commissioner
Coleman, in his annual report to the President,
says the year which opened in gloom, threatening
destruction of winter crops by the severity of the
temperature, is closing with bright prospects of
abundance produced at a cost which is not
burden to the producer, and to be sold at price
which is not barrier to the poor consumer. For
many years. .he says, it has become more and more
apparent that the great need of the agricultural
interests of the United States is a better under
standing and more intimate relation between the
several agricultural and experiment stations and
a more practical cooperation between these in
stitutions and the Department of Agriculture.
These colleges were endowed by Congress, and
they are now separately carrying on experiments
at an expense OF time and meanS and yet without
any central head through which TO report and
compare results with each other. He submits
that the department should have full authority
and ample means to avail itself of the peculiar
advantages offered by these endowed institutions
in order to test in manner and on scale suffi-
cient to determine all questionable points of the
adaptability of new and rare seeds to the various
sections of the country. He describes the serious
effect upon our foreign trade in live stock result
ing from the existence of. contagious diseases
among CATTLE sheep and swine and says the restric
tions upon our interstate commerce from the same
cause have been very great burden, and that
the reduction in the value of cattle in the affected
districts has been enormous.
OF the work of the division of chemistry, lie
says that the investigation Of the influence of
climate and soil in the composition of cereals has
progressed far enough to scientifically determine
what parts OF the country produce the DeSC
cereals.
The annual report of Mr.. Dodge, statstician of
the department, for the present year contains, the
commissioner says, review of the course of agr
cultural production during 5 years which shows
an estimated increase in corn of 37,O00,000
acres, or 80 per cent, in wheat, OF 600
acres, or los per cent; in oats, of 100000
acres, or 142 per cent; and all cereals iaken to
gether G7 600 900 acres, or 81 per cent. The EN-
argemsn Of the wheat u a. area was e1tIaordnary q y
crops Of Western Europe. The extension of
breadth in maize was aided by reserve of the
foreign trade in beeves and fresh meats, and by
the sudden enlargement of the exports of pork
products; and induced by the cheapness of corn
and the cultivation of oats it has received an
especial impetus from the seeding of rust proof
varieties in the South and from necessity OF less
heating food for horses than too exclusive maize
rationS Increased from 69,000000 acres of
cereals in 1870 to 1876, 100000 acres means the
seeding and harvesting of an additional area
equal to the entire surface of Iowa and North
Carolina
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
nual increase in aggregate as well as per acre.
The average yield of corn, he continues per acre
has been %. 8 bushels against 81 / for preceding
period. and the average value therefore has been
higher AT cents per bushel instead OF 40 6, and
the average value of the acre.. $1067 instead of
$11.54. The average yield of wheat in the. two
periods are nearly identical, 12.3 and 12.4 bush
els respectively, but the price has averaged 901
instead of $104.0, the demand not being equal to
the supply.
The commissioner describes the result of the
work of the microscopic division in the discovery
ofsa method of detecting counterfeit butter and in
this connection he says the unparalleled increase
during the past few years of the manufacture and
sale of various compounds of animal fats, vegeta-
BILE oils and other substances which are fraudu-
lently represented to the public butter threat
ems the destruction Of legitimate dairy business
interests which are of the largest magnitude and
affect all sections of the country. 1t is not, he
says competition dairying that is deprecated, but
of true dairy products, the deception of
names, use of impure substances and
dishonest sale at high rates of products otherwise
of little value, practices which demoraliZe trade,
defraud honest industry and deceive the buyers.
To protect the public from these deceptive prac-
tceS he earnestly recommends the prompt pas
sage of stringent law by Congress to prevent the
continuance of this business except under such
regulations as the necessities of the demand,
the enforcement of this law if thought advisable
by Congress to be placed under the control of the
Internal Revenue Department.
In conclusion he says; Il beg to represent that
the department of agriculture growing in Import
ance and usefulness as our agricultural popula-
ton increases and its wants and necessities multi
ply, should obviously be progressive institution
in order to keep pace with the increasing demands
made upon it. 1t is for the legislative branch to
determine how far its Importance shall be recog-
nized and with what powers it shall be clothed to
enable it to partially meet the obligation which
the country always owes to its agriculture"