The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-11-15
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Annual Report OF the Secretary Of
Agriculture.
Report Of Edward q. ueech Director of the
Mint-rrc~Ide.t ssnrison's Procln-
nation Admitting the Two pa-
kotas - States
Annual Report % me Secretary % Agrl-
culfure.

Annual Report % the Secretary of Agrl
culture
WASHINGTON. Nov. 4.-The annual re-
port Of Secretary Rusk Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. and the first ISSUED
under the newly-constituted depart
ment. was made public yesterday. The
Secretary makes the usual references "a
the work OF the several scientific and
other divisions in his department, and
in addition he deals at length with GER
tain plans for the thorough r~corganiza.
tion Of the Department Of Agriculture,
and suggests several new features in the
interest Of the development Of agricult-
ure. The report calls attention To the
fact that the first efforts towards
reorganization were hampered
because Of the surprising fact
that the appropriations for
the current fiscal year. were made
entirely upon the basis OF the old organ
i~zation. no account being taken Of the
entire change in status OF the depart
ment. The Secretary insists upon the
necessity for his relief from this en-
barrassmcnt, and for adequate appro-
priations to enable him to meet what he
believes to be the obligations Of the de-
partmcnt u the country. The Sccre-
tary anticipates a portion Of his plan
for reorganization in the estimates for
the forthcoming fiscal year, 81. 900.
lie says that the aggregate sum asked
for In his estimates must moi be meas
ured by what is past, but BY
what a great agricultural country
should do towards sustaining. protect
Ing and promoting a calling which lies
at the foundation Of its prosperity and
power A striking contrast is drawn
between this amount and the %appropria-
tons for agriculture made by those
countries which. the report says, ''are the
most active competitors Of American
farmers in tho worlds market The
comparison shows that Great Britain
Arpropriates for agriculture $1,000. 900,
Germany -, $50, 900. Brazil so. 900. 600
for agriculture and mines. France S.
300. 900 and Austria more than $4,000. 900.
Considerable space is devoted to the
work OF the division of statistics. THE
crop reporting system" he says, while
Approximate and valuable. is in danger
Of becoming discredited by the popular
acceptance OF its results as exact in pro-
cision and absolute in authority. 1t
should be remembered hat they are
not the conclusions OF a thorough CEN
sus. though they may be far better than
u work Of . poor census; thai they are
the consultations Of local estimates OF
agricultural experts and are intencnd
as a foil TO the interested. biased and
1ntruthful statements that spectators
issue TO mislead their victims"
Of the rapid development Of agricult-
urn in the Rocky Mountain districts.
the Secretary says that the division OF
statistics has been directed to investi-
gate their with all the facili-
ties at its command. '.The result he
adds, will surprise the Eastern States
with new views Of the wealth and prog
ross Of the Great American Desert OF
the recent past"
The condition OF the sugar industry is
reviewed in detail, and the results de-
clarcd to be Of a mixed character. in
some cases yielding well. and in other
cases proving disappointing. The re-
gion where the sorghum-sugar industry
may be attended with success has been
localized in the southern part OF Central
Kansas, west and south OF Wichita. and
in parts OF the Indian Territory resem-
bling it in soil and climate. There are
perhaps other parts Of the United States
where similar successes could be Sc
cured, but these have not been pointed
out
Special attention is to be given to the
development Of varieties Of sorghum
containing a higher degree OF available
sugar. Important progress has already
beun made in this direction. Many
localities in the United States. espc-
cially in the North and on The Pacific
coast, are known TO be specially suit
able to the production Of a sugar beet
rica in saccharine matter. The interest
In shis subject developed by the success
full experiments in California. will be
met by the publication during the con-
ing winter Of a full report on the beet
sugar industry in the United States.
The report urges the duty Of the Gov
eminent 70 assume a more definite SUI
pervision OF such forest areas as are
still owned by il and as occupy a posi-
ton OF Importance in the regulation OF
water-iow and OF other climatic condi-
tions, and emphasizes the importance OF
the relations which the forests bear to
the problem Of irrigation in the arid
lands and Of their immense annual
product.
The subject Of agricultural organiza-
ticns Is dwelt upon earnestly. their as
tonishing growth during the past few
years being cited as strong evidence Of
tho growth Of the spirit OF self-help
among the farmers. The farmers in
stitutes are referred TO particularly as
one Of the greatest movements in the
history 81 agriculture, and as the
strongest lever for raising and uphold
ing the work Of superior agricultural
education represented by our system OF
agricultural colleges and experiment
stations. The Secretary recommends,
without going into details. that the de-
partmcnt should be empowered to afford
aid and encouragement to this work.
Pleuro-pncumonia naturally is first
noticed, the situation being regarded as
most encouraging. Thanks to the