Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-11-08
REPORT ON AGRICULTURE.
Secretary Rusk's First Annual Re-
port.

Pohhs
The annual report of the secretary of
agriculture deals at length with plans for the
thorough reorganization of the department,
and suggests several new features in the in
terest of agriculture. The report says that
efforts toward reorganization were ham
pered because the appropriations for the
current fiscal year were made entirely upon
the basis of the old organization. The
secretary insists upon the necessity for his
relief from this embarrassment AMI for
adequate appropriations.
The condition of the sugar industry is re-
viewed in detail, and the results declared to
be of mixed character, in some cases yield
ing well and in other cases proving disap-
pointing Special attention is to be given to
the development of varieties of sorghum
containing q higher per cent. of available
sugar. Important progress has already
been made in this direction. Many local.
ties i'll the United States, especially in the
north and on the Pacific coast, are known to
be specially suitable to the production offs
sugar beet rich in saccharine matter The
interest in this subject developed by the
successful experiments in California will be
met by the publication, during the coming
winter, of full report on the beet sugar
industry in the United States.
In treating of the Office of experiment sta
tions and its work the secretary expresses
the COHNlCJIuD tudJ IIle WOTk tlluertaKen DIV
the national government in this connection
evinces the wisdom of congress in dstribut-
ing it throughout the country. The report
urges the duty of the government to assume
a more definite supervision of such forest
areas as are still owned by it, and as occupy
a position of importance in the regulation OF
waterhow and of other climatic conditions,
and emphasizes the importance of the fela-
tons which the forest bear to the nroblem
Of riratt IND bn Ac Z,F -
immense annual product
The 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 self-help among the farmers. The
farmers institutes are referred to particular
ly as one of the greatest movements in the
history of agriculture, and as the strongest
lever for raising and upholding the work of
superior agricultural education represented
by our system Of agricultural colleges and
experiment station. The secretary recon-
mends, without going into details, that the
department should be empowered to afford
aid and encouragement to this work
Pleuro-pneumonia, the report says, is now
eftectually under control and restricted to
Kings and Queens counties in New York
state, to New Jersey and limited section in
each of the states Of Pennsylvania and
Maryland. The language used by Secretary
Rusk in regard TO national meat inspec-
ton law is pointed and vigorous.
Mr.. Rusk accordingly advocates
"such an amendment to the law under
which the bureau is at present organized as
will provide for such official national in
spection as shall guarantee the fitness of our
meat products for food consumption under
the seal of the United States government" /"
Sheep and wool receive special considers
ton in the report The growth of the nBut-
ton interest is referred TO as one to be greatly
encouraged. As to wool growing, the reduc
ton of the tariff in 1888 is earnestly deplored
To it is attributed the great reduction in the
number Of sheep and the increase in the inn
portation of wool.
Figures are submitted in the report show
ing the Importance of agriculture which pro-
duces an annual yield Of nearly 81, 1000, ,6OO,-
000 employing on the 100000 farms TO- =
100000 persons, representing population of
so, 900 people, while the value of live
stock alone is estimated at 81, 507, ,000, 900.
Agriculture underlies all other industries it
alone making our vast commerce possible
and rendering the product of our mines val
liable.