The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-12-10
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
Synopsis of the Annual Report of
Commissioner CoIman.

year which opened In gloom, threatening
the destruction of winter crops by the Sc
verify of the temperature, is closing with
beast. produced at cost which is not a
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 one
great need of the agricultural interests of
the United States is a better understand
ing and more intimate relation
between the several agricultural and
experiment stations, and more
practical cooperation between these in
stitutions and the Department of Agri-
culture. These colleges were endowed by
Congress. They are now separately carry
ing on experiments Mt 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 pc
culiar advantages offered by those endowed
institutions in order to test, in manner
and on scale sufficient to determine all
questionable points, the adaptability of new
our country.
OF the Bureau of Animal Industry he
says:
"The law establishing the bureau does
not authorize the slaughter of animals af-
fected with contagious diseases, and it is
impossible for the department to maintain
under 1t an effectual quarantine. The
CHARACTERISTIC of pleuro- pneumonia make
ii difficult disease to extirpate except by
the slaughter of all affected animals and
the slaughter or quarantine of all that have
been exposed"
He describes 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 q very great
burden, and that the restriction in value Of
cattle in the affected States has been enor-
nous.
istry he says:
THE investigation of the influence of
climate and soil in the composition of
cereals has progressed far enough to scien-
tifically determine what parts of the country
produce the best cereals"
The experiments are described which
! were undertaken with purpose to check
the present enormous waste of sugar, fully
one-half, in the milling process, and with
highly gratifying results. The division has
also begun an important series Of investi-
cations upon food adulteration. The work
has so far been chiefly with butter and
honey, but it is proposed to extend it until
uniform methods of examination and stand
ards of comparison are established.
In the chronological Division the work
has greatly increased during the year, and
Prof. Riley considers that under conditions
the most favorable to grasshopper increase
the injury can never be as widespread as it
has been in the past, owing to the advance
and increase in settlement in the North
west.
The annual report of Mr.. Dodge, the
statistician of the department., for the pres
ent year, contains, the Commissioner says,
a review of the course of agricultural pro-
duction during fifteen years, which shows
an estimated increase in corn of 81 ,000, 600
acres, or 80 per cent; In oats, of 5000, 600
acres, or 142 per cent; in all cereals taken
together, 67,O00,000 acres, or % per cent.
The enlargement of the wheat area was ex-
traordinaIy during the period of partial
failure of the crops of Western Europe;
the extension of the breadth in maize was
aided by the reserve of the foreign trade
in beeves and fresh meats and by the sud-
den enlargement of exports of pork
products induced by the cheap
ness of corn, and the cultivation
of oats has received special impetus
from the seeding OF rust-proof varieties in
the South and from the necessity of less
heating feed for horses than too exclusive
maize ration. The increase from 69, 000,-
600 acres of cereals in 1874 breadth
nearly equal to the superficial area of Mis-
souri, and Ohio-to 136,000,O00 acres, an
increase of 67,000,000 acres since 1870,
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>erops 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 per acre has
been 1873 bushels, against 27.1 for the pre-
ceding period; the average value has there.
fore been higher, AL cents per bushel
instead of 1915, and the average value of al
acre S10.67 instead of $11.54.
The average yields of wheat in the two
periods are nearly identical, 1873 and 49,
bushels, respectively, but the price hal
averaged 90.1 cents instead OF lO4.9, the
demand not being equal TO the supply.
There is perhaps, no subject in which thu
department can be used to greater beneti
than in its attention TO forestry interests
and, considering the vast importance to thu
nation of proper investigation of the sub
ject, no branch has been more poorly en-
lowed by Congress. Efforts should b'
made at once to arouse and enlighten thu
people to the dangers which threaten
through the destruction of the forests.
"Arbor days" should be instituted in al
the States, the science Of forestry SHOULD
be taught in schools, and the organization
of local and State forestry societies shoult
be encouraged.
The Commissioner concludes his repor
with reference to the usefulness and grow