The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-11-21
Report of the Secretary of Agricul-


the secretary OF tflHG Department. Hon 4 NJ
isusk, of Wisconsin,
1T is singular that the special reasons for nd
vancing tine Bureau of Agriculture to a De
partment, with Cabinet officer at its head hat
not been recognized at all earlier day in our his
tory.
More than any other branch of the occupation.
of our people agriculture is universal among US
and it is so widely practiced and under such va
riel conditions that as an industry, il stands
apart, peculiar and requiring national direction
TO secure the advantage to which as a natona
industry, and the foundation of all others, it is
entitled. In most OF the States it is pursued un
der circumstances which do not admit, as a rule
of those wide Investigations and comparisons
which are found essential to prosperity in Other
industries. The farmer usually lives apart from
his competitors, ana has limited means OF as
pertaining their methods or the new processes
by which farmers in other localities are deriv-
ing larger results from their fieids He follows
the routine which was followed by his father
before him. and often comes to recognize the
existence and value of modern improvements
only disaster cOnffOntS him, and his exhaust
ed farm fails to yield sufficient for his support
Hence the Importance that agriculture should
receive the special attention of Government
and the proprety OF investing the officer i'll
charge OF this work with the dignity of Cabi
net position.
first Secretary OF Agriculture should have been
given TO one so well fitted for it, and SO thor
oughly devoted to its success as Governor ktlSk
His first report is a model both in its general
conception and in its details.
He calls attention to the deficiency of our ap
preparations for the promotion of agriculture as
compared with those OF other countries where
agriculture is far less Important. Central and
South America. brazil, Great Britain, GERMANY
Russia Austria and France all have surpassed
us in the liberaliUy of their appropriations for
this purpose. Russia appropriated more than
sl4O00,UtU for agriculture and mines in 1855 g.
Brazil more than s2u,OU0000 i'll the same time for
similar purposes. france i'll 1886 appropriated
more than SS,UW,OO0 for agriculture alone, and
Austria more than 81 OO0,0iD in the same year.
The Secretary lays great stress upon the value
of widespread publication OF the practical con
clusOns of Investigations made by the Depart
ment by special bulletins and through the
newspapers to which he offers every facility fOl
obtaining i'll advance such information as may
be ready for distribution. In some instances il
is known that d circulation of over l,OO0OW
copies of the advance sheets has been secured
Statistical information of our agricultural re-
sources and conditions is deemed of the highest
importance. To obtain this more than l0U
volunteer correspondents and corps OF paid
agents are employed. brief summary of re
suits IS autographed to press associations on the
10Th of each month
Special volumes and reports are issued touch
ing such branches of the subject as have specia
features One OF the most attractive of these is
the Album of Agricultural Statistics, compiled
by the veteran statistician of the Department
Mr.. j. r.. Dodge. and issred during the pas!
summer ltconsists OF a series of graphic illus
comparative value and yield of farm products
animal and veSe5able-in different parts OF
the country Among these Illustrations may
be noted No. >, acl ea{e OF corn in eacl
State; No. g. Yield Of corn per acre in eacf
State; No. H. average value OF mich COWS
in each state: No. H., rural population OF
the United States. These with many other in
tereSting features are presented on series Of
maps of the United States, and with such
plain and simple arrangement of forms anC
cOlorS that they cannot fail to attract attention
and be easily understood.
That part of the report relating to the Rocky
Mountain region is specially interesting. The
Secretary says:
ssFhe development of agriculture in the Rocky
Mountain district has been very rapid of late
aud is full of promise for the immediate FIXTURE
Millions of acres are already under Irrigation
with results more certain and satisfactory than
in States solely dependent OH current rainfall
New enterprises are i'll progress and Govern
ment SURVEYS for highland reservoirs have beer
initiated Already the value of the products Of
agriculture on the Pacific Coast. if not i'll Colo
RADIO, in the heart OF the mountain system, i
greater than that of the products of mining
The Division OF statistics, under my direction
is investigating these resources and measuring
their development with all the facilities at its
command The results will surprise the Eastern
States with views of the wealth and pro
gress of the Great American Desert of the re
cent past
One of the curious and highly valuable results
of the labors of the chronological Division has
been the destruction of certain parasitic insects
which threatened ruin to the orange culture OF
California, by the importation QfsQther parasites
which preyed upon them. On this point the
Secretary says:
'.fiha results of this undertaking have more
than Justified the most sanguine anticlpations
Several of the parasites have been introduced
and acclimated, While one of the predacious in
sects thus imrOrted-viH, a lady-bird t|ed0fiG
caf"fndIis Mul@tnt)-has Increased SO enormous,
" and is so active an enemy OF the scale that
several important orchards have already been
completely freed from the pest by it's agency
and dependency has given way to hope and
confidence among California orange-growers
This result furnishes most striking Illustration
of wide spread benefit resulting from scientific
investigation and effort
in regard to the sorghum and beet-Sugar in
dllstres the Secretary says:
.''rhe general result of the recent experiments
in the manufacture of sugar from sorghum car
rie1 on by the Department has determined the
localiZatOn of this industry II success attend
the sorghum sugar industry in the future there
seems TO be reasonable ground for believing
that in the scuthern part Of Central Kansas and
in many parts of the Indian Territory, where
the soil aud climate are similar to that part OF
Kansas mentioned, it may especially flourish
There are, perhaps, also other parts of the Uni
ted States where similar success could be Sc
cu :, but these have not yet been pointed out
What can be accomplished in this line has al
ready been illustrated with the sugar-beet and
there is every reason to believe that equally ia
vo:able results can be secured with sorghum.
IN regard to the beeU-Sugar industry expert
mentS have been made in various parts of the
United States in the growth of beets and in the
analyses thereof. Many of these analyses have
been made in the chemical division OF the De
partment at Washington, and show that there
are many localifies especlaily n 1he nopther
Coast suitable to the production Of a sugar,
beet rich in saccharine matter, The successful
experiments in beet sugar manufacture in Cali
fOrnia have created Il great deal of interest in
various parts OF the United States in this indus
try and the Department has received many in
qurieS for information on this point. The chem
ieal division is now collecting material for a full
report on the beet-sugar industry in the United
huotCa W ~ 10 may NC cal ~
the coming winter"
Regarding the work of the Botanical Division
the report says:
''Bes les the general scientific work, Which
has been extensive. attention has been chiefly
directed to grasses AMI foreign nlants, more
particularly to those adapted to the Southern
States and the arid and the semi arid regions OF
the West What the Southern States need al
the present time, agriculturaily, more than any
thing else, is a productive grass. The desire is
to place stations at two places other than that
in Mississippi.
The nronem the Denartmant is seeking tf
solve i'll the arid region is an increase of forage
on the non-iirigable lands There is far less
What they are capable of producing is almost
beyond computation, but the question whether
the 3O0.OGOC00 of acres and more outside of pos
sible irrigation can be Guadrupled in forage pos
sibilities is of immense import. 1t is believed
that as nature has selected the grasses growing
there a cultivation of the same must promote
their pFOductiveneSs there as it does other
grasses elsewhere, Accordingly wild-grass seeds
are being collected ana are to be pr0pagated IN
che station. The Department desires to establish
INDEPENDENTLY or In connection with the eXper-
iment stations, four more stations in the West
to cover all Western conditions"
The following is an extract touching on the
Section of Vegetable Pathology:
sit covers the diseases of plants their nature
and treatment. During the last growing sea
son agents We're located in New Jersey, Della
ware Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Mis-
souri, Michigan. Wisconsin and California to i'll
vestigate the plant diseases peculiar to those
localities, notably black-rot. downy midew and
anthracnose OF the grape, Foot-rot and pear and
apple diseases"
The Importance of further encouragement to
the production of textile tibers is duly recog-
niZed as follows
s.In the States of Indiana, Illinois and all the
Northwest large amounts of flax are raised for
the seed alone. The question now IL, Cannot the
fiber be utilized ALSO? While the cultivation OF
jute and rame can hardly be classed as yet be
You'd the experimental stage, enough has been
grown to justify the belief that in most of the
Southern States they can be produced in album
dance and of good quality"
Seeing the Importance of this subject, the Sec
rotary adds;
II am seeking for information from every
quarter likely to give it, and to do all that can
be done to promote an industry that will, if sue
cessful, save to this country S2OO00C00 annually,
and which may take the place of raising OF
wheat and other cereals in States where their
production is not now profitable. ] shall ask
from Congress an appropriation to enable me to
prosecute more extended investigation of this
subject
The work of the Forestry Division is clearly
outlined and its Importance shown.
.Only very slowly are our people beginning to
realize that our natural forest resources, sub
against the naPages OF fire and other destluc-
tive agencies, are liable to deterioration if not
exhaustion, although capable by the application
of proper management OF yielding continual
crops of valuable material. Blind to the expe-
rence of other nations, must learn by eX-
ter shed and river systems is to large extent,
Influenced by the condition of our forest areas.
The magnitude OF our forestry interest is best
represented by the statement based upon the
best author tiles available, that our present an
nual forest production amounts to STOO0OOOO 900, a
figure which it geems likely could, by judfcous
management Of our present forest area, be
maintained il not exceeded without impair
nlent of the capital from which it is derived"
The growth of farmers associations is noted