The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-12-06
AGRICULTURE.
The Work Accomplished by the De-
partment of ASriculture-Plans to
Eradicate PleurO-Pneumonia.

Tho department Of agriculture has continued,
with good measure Of success. its efforts TO
develop the processes. enlarge the results aad
argument the profits OF American husbandry.
It has collected and distributed practical in
formation, introduced and tested new plants.
farm animals. resisted the advance OF noxious
insects and destructive fungus growth. and
sought to secure to agricultural labor she highest
reward of effort and the fullest immunity from
loss Its records Of the wear show that the sea-
son Of 1888 has been of medium production.
generous supply OF the demands Of consump-
ton has been assured. and surplus for ex-
portation. moderate in certain products and
bountiful in others, will prove benefaction
alike to buyer and grower. Four wears
ago 1t was found that the great
cattle industry Of the country was endangered.
and those engaged in 1t We're alarmed at the
rapid extension Of the European plague of
pleuro-pneumonia. Serious outbreaks existed
in Illinois. Missouri. Kentucky and in Tenues-
see. Animals affected were held quarantine.
Five counties in New York and from one to four
counties in each Of the states OF New Jersey,
most equally affected. With this great danger
upon us and with the contagion already in the
channels Of commerce, with the enormous direct
and indirect losses already being caused by it,
and when only prompt and energetic action
could be successful, there were in none OF these
states any laws authorizing this department to
eradicate the malady or giving the state officials
power to cooperate with it for the purpose
The department even lacked both the requisite
appropriation and authority. By securing state
cooperation in connection with authority from
congress
THE WORK OF ERADICATION
has been pressed successfully and this dreaded
disease has been extirpated from the Western
states, and also from the Eastern states. with
the exception OF a few restricted areas which are
still under supervision. The danger has thus
been removed. and trade and commerce have
been freed from the vexatious state restrictions
which were deemed necessary for a time.
During the past four years the process OF d1ffu-
sion as applied to the manufacture OF sugar from
into the country and fully perfected by the ex-
periments carried on by the department Of agri-
culture This process is now universally con-
coded to be the most economical one, and 1T is
through it that the sorghum sugar industry has
been established upon II firm basis and the road
to it's future success opened. The adoption of
this diffusion process Is also extending in
Louisiana and other sugar-prOducing parts
of the country, and will doubtless soon
be the only method employed for the
study has also, within the same period. been
undertaken of the subject of food adulteration
and the best analytical methods for detecting IL.
A part Of the results Of this work has already
been published by the department.. which, with
the matter in course of preparation, will make
the most complete treatise on that subject that
has ever been published In any country. The
department seeks a progressive DEVELOPMENT. 1t
would combine the discoveries OF science with
the economies and amellOration OF rural prac-
tice. A supervision of the endowed ex Experimental
station system recently provided for is proper
function of the department and is now in oper-
alton. This supervision is very important and
should be wisely and viRlantly directed to the
end that the pecuniary aid Of the government in
favor of intelligent agriculture should be SO ap-
piled Ed to result in the general good and to the
beretit of all our people, thus Justifying the ap
preparation made from the public treasury