The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-01
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
POINTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE
AGRICULTURAL COMMiSSi
Increase of Acreage and Production in
Grafn-Cattie Quarantine Chemical
Work--A Coming Political Force
More Offices Filled-Items.

WASHINGTON CITY, Doc 1.-The an
nual report of the commissioner OF aSrI-
culture says:
review of the course of agricultural
production during fifteen years shows an
| estimated increase in corn or ~, 0oo, IVY
&c O., or 81 per cent; in oats OF IL, oOo, ooo
acres li1 per cent ; in all cereals taken
together, 81 900, 900 acres or 81 per cent
This increase since 1870 means the ling
AMI harvesting of additional area equal TO
the entire surface of Iowa and North Caro-
lima.
The average estmat-i product of the
principal food crops of the last five years as
compared with the average of the ten years
| preceding, from 1870 to 1879, inclusive, shows
| an enormous annual increase in the az
| gregate as well as by tue acre. The average
yield of corn has been 239 bushels
per scre, against 81 for the pre-,
| ceeiing period: the average valne AL
| cehts per iu'hel against Az and the aver
| n % value pf an acre SO 81 instead of Sll. 81,
The average yields of wheat in the two
periods are nearly identical, T.. 3 and II
bushels, re psctvely. but tho price has
averaged NJ. cents iustead of Slo49 the
| demand not bein, equal to the supply.
| Speaking of the bureau OF animal indus
try the commissioner says:
The Law tabiiShins the bureau does not
| authorize the slaughter of animals affected
| Win con LaRipur uiS1l ia dHu ~ IL liA poSSl
| bic for the department to ma intain under it
an eifectual quarantine. The character
isticS of peuro- pneumonia make it diff
| cult disea,e to eKtirpate except by the
| laughter of all affected animals and the
| slaughter or quarantine of all that have
| been exposei.
| lie de icribes the serious effect upon our
foreign trade in live stock resulting from
| the existence of contagious diseases among
CATTLE sheep, and swine, and says that the
| restrictions 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 states has
| been enormous
The com'nssi 1ner thinks that many OF the
most important foreign medical plants are
PERFECTLY alaptel to our climate and can
| be cultivated to perfection, an hc iavors
experiments in that direction. He also
fnvors tle institution of arbJr days in all
the state; tn, formation of local and state
FORE 5try sociatie'. and tho teaching of the
science of forestry in public schools.
OF the work of the division of chemistry,
he says the Investigation of the influence of
climats AMI soil i'll the composition of
cereals has pro5res >el far enou, III to scien-
tttically determine what parts of tho conn-
try produce the best cereals. Tho expert
ments are described which were
undertaken with purpose to check
tho present enormous waste Of sugar-fully
one -half-in the milling process, AMI with
highly gratifying results. Tho division has
| also begun an important series of lnvestiga
tionS in food a tulteration. The work has
So far been chiefly with butter and honey,
but it is proposed to extend it until uniform
methods of examination and standards Of
comparisons are established.
The Prohibition Wave.
WASHINGTON CITY. Dsc. |. The Chi
cago evening Journals special correspond
ent telegraps his paper:
The result of the recent struggle over the
| Prohibition question in Georgia attrncts a
good deal of attention here. Statesmen and
politicians in it some important sug-
gestons regar ling the political future OF
the country and especially of ths south,
where it will as an issue break up all party
lines and divide the colorei vote betweel
eantending factions, which is looked upon as
likely to be very advantageous. In nearly
all parts of tae south this condition OF at
fairs Ssami to obtain. That the Prohibition
-entiment is gaining strength in tAe north
is also very evident. Every years expert
encs in politics proves that. and
thers comes with every year
still stronger conviction that the
temperance question is to prove very
promin'ut ono in the politics of the country
at We. early period. The more practica
men in p tics and reform work see in the
non party .thod the most promising way
| to tho ult...4ate success of Prohibition.
| Wherever tho movement has thus far proved
successful at the polls the third party
organization was unknown. The cases o
Maine, Kansas, Iowa and Georgis
are cited rs examples. The Temperance
people can do much by outside non party
pressure and through existing parties, but
wise statesmen, political and practical 70
formers see only distraction and division t.
tho reform forcos in the third party move
inent and consequent failure. The fact i
generally rscogn!z,i by acute reformer
that while the third party movement il
really hindranc,, the medium Of eifectiv
temperance legislation and reform is to b.
found in the Democratic party of tho soutl
and in the Republican party of the north