Wichita eagle., 1889-11-05
RUsK'S REPORT.
The Secretary of Agriculture Submits
Plans for Organization.

The Secretary of Agriculture Submits
Plans for Organization.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-The annual re-
port of Secretary Rusk, of the department
of agriculture, and the first issued under
the newly constituted department, was
made public today. The secretary makes
the usual references to the work Of the
several scientific and other divisions in his
department, and in addition he deals at
length with certain plans for the thorough
organization of the department of agri-
culture, and suggests several new features
in the interest of the development
Of agriculture. The report calls atten-
tion to the fact that the first efforts
towards a reorganization were hampered
because of the surprising fact that the ap-
preparations for the current fiscal year
were made entirely upon the basis of the
old organization, no account being taken
of the entire change in the status of the
department. The secretary insists upon
the necessity for his relief from this en-
barrassment, and for adequate appropria-
tions to enable him to meet what he be
lieves to be the obligations of the depart
ment to the country. The secretary antici-
pates portion Of his plan for reorganiza-
fiscal year, s1,357000. He says that
the aggregate sum asked for in
his estimates must not be measured by
what is past, but by what a great agricul-
tural country should do towards Sustain
ing, protecting and promoting a calling
which lies at the foundation of its pros
perity and power"
A striking contrast is drawn between
this amount and the appropriations for
agriculture made by these countries, which
report saws Are the most active COMPETE
tors of American farmers in the worlds
market" A comparison shows that Great
Britain appropriates for agriculture ST.
500, 900: Germany s., $50, 600; Brazil 500
300. 900 for agriculture and mines; France
IS, 900, 000 and Austria more than 81 000,-
co.,
Considerable space is devoted to the
work of the division of statistics. The crop
reporting system, he says, while approx
mate and valuable, is in danger of becom-
ing discredited by the popular acceptance
of its results lis exact in precision and alb
solute in authority. 1t should be remem-
bered that they are not the conclusions of
thorough census, though they may be
far better than the work of poor census;
that they are the consultations of local
estimates of agricultural experts and are
intended as toll to the interested, biased
end untruthful statements that spec
ulaIOfS issue 10 mlSledu GnelT VIC
Tins" OF the rapid development of
agriculture in the Rocky mountain dis
tricts. the secretary says that the division
of the statistics has been directed to inves-
tigate their resources with all the facili-
ties at its command. 1.-The results" he
adds, twill surprise the eastern states
with new views of the wealth and progress
of the great American desert OF the recent
past"
The condition of the sugar industry is
reviewed in detail and the results declared
To be of mixed character, in some cases
yielding well, and in other cases proving
disappointing. The region where the sor-
ghum industry may be attended with sue
cess has been localized in the southern part
OF central Kansas, west and south
of Wichita, and in parts of the Indian ter
ritory resembling it in soil and climate.
There are perhaps some other parts of the
United States where similar successes can
be secured. but these have not been point
ed out. Special attention Is 10 be given TO
the development of varieties of sorghum
containiuga higher proportion of available
sugar. Important progress has already
been made in this direction.
Many locations in the United States es-
pecially in the north and on the Pacific
coast, are known to be specially suitable
TO the production OF a sugar beat
rich in saccharine matter. The
interest III TINS SUBJECT ueNeiODSU
by the successful experiments in Cali
fornia will be met by the publication dur
ing the coming winter of p full report Oh
the beet-sugar industry in the United
States.
The report urges the duty of the govern
ment to assume more definite supervi-
zion Of such forest areas rs are still owned
by IL and occupy Il position of Importance
in the regulation OF water flow and of
other climatic conditions. and emphasizes
the Importance of the relations which the
forests bear to the problem of irrigation in
the arid lands and of their immense an
nual product.
i he subject of agricultural organizations
is dwelt upon earnestly. their astonishing
growth during the past few years being
cited as strong evidence of the growth Of
the spirit of seli-heip among the farmers
The farmers institutes are referred TO
particularly as one of the greatest move
ments il the history of agriculture, and as
the strongest lever for raising ana uphold
ing the work OF superior agricultural edu
cation represented by our system of agri-
cultural colleges ana experiment stations
The secretary recommends, without going
into details, that the department should
be empowered TO afford aid and encourage
ment 10 this work.
Pleuro-pneumopia naturally is first no.
ticed, the situation being regarded as most
SucOuIdElDS. udl 70 NilS ANA
vigorous measures which have been exer-
cised, this disease is now ehectually under
control and restricted TO Kings sud Queens
counties in New York, TO New Jersey and
10 limited section in each of the states of
Pennsylvania aud Maryland. A careful
review of the fed together with the ar
rangements made for the supervision OF
the limited districts still infected justify.
in the secretary's opinion, 1.-THE most SAN
guine hopes in regard 10 the proXimate
complete eradication of the disease.
Texas fever. says the report, is generally
spread through the channels Of interstate
commerce and therefore can only be eff
fectually controlled by the federal gov
ernment, hence the necessity for legisla-
tion which will be ample and clearly de-
fined.
The language used by Secretary Rusk in
regard 10 a national meat inspection law
is pointed and vigorous. The necessity
for inspection at the time OF slaughter. he
says, is first to enable the authorities TO
promptly locate any cattle disease centers,
and. secondly, to avoid the anomaly
of leaving the inspection of our meat
products to the officials Of other
countries, thus giving foreign govern
lneuts some show OF reason for the Claim .