The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-11-07
FIGURES FOR FARMERS.

FIGURES FOR FARMERS.
4 Synopsis Of the Report Of Secretary
hosk Of tho Department Of Agriculture |
Prediction That Pleuro- Pneumonia |
WIN Soon Be Thoroughly Eradicated-|
ne Urges tho Passage Of National |
Beef Inspection Law.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-The annual re-
port OF the Secretary of Agriculture, the
nrst issued under the newly constructed |
department., will be made public to-day.
,followlng Is q synopsis:
y calls attention to the fact that the first |
cuorts toward reorganization of the depart |
ment were hampered because the appropria- |
LIONS 1or the current fiscal year were made en- |
tlfeiy upon the basis Of the old organization, |
no account being taken Of the entire |
cnanee In the statue Of the department. The |
secretary insists upon the necessity for ode
quate appropriations to enable him to meet |
wnot ne believes to be the obligations OF the de-
Pssment to the country In this connection no |
draws comparison with the appropriations !
MADE Tor agriculture by those countries which |
the report says ARE the most active competi |
soSs OF American farmers in the worlds mar
kot Great Britain appropriates for agdcult |
ule SlaO,OOO; Germany, q, s5O,00 Brazil, s2O-
uuO Tor agriculture and mines; France, H.. !
uO.ooO, and Austria, more than 100000
Inc Secretary expresses qualification at the |
success with which he has been enabled to get |
the results OF the departments work before the |
people by utilizing the press Of the country, |
ana, referring to the press reports says:
while approximate, it Is in danger Of
becoming discredited by the popular &C.
ceptance Of its results as exact in pre- |
c1sion and absolute in authority. It should |
be remembered that they are not the con.
closions Of thorough census, though they may |
90 lar better than the work of q poor census; |
that they are the consultations Of local esti.
mates Of agricultural experts, and are intended
Is foil to the interested, biased and untruth.
full statements that spectators issue to mis-
lead their victims"
OF the rapid development Of agriculture In
the Rocky Mountain districts the Secretary
says: "The results will surprise the Eastern
States with new views of the wealth and prog.
ress OF the great American desert Of the recent
past" The Secretary, in this connection,
suggests the appointment Of State statisti-
clan In every State and q comprehensive plan
OF agricultural surveys OF the States and
Territories.
The condition Of the sugar industry is re.
viewed in detail and the results declared to be
of mixed character, in some cases yielding
we'll and In other cases proving disappointing.
The region where the sorghum sugar industry
may be attended with success has been local.
lied IN the southern part of Central Kansas,
west and south OF Wichita, and in parts of the
Indian Territory resembling it in soil and
climate. There are perhaps other parts Of the
United States where similar success could be
secured, but these have not been pointed out
The report urges the duty Of the Government
to assume o moro definite supervision Of such
forest areas as are still owned by it and so &C.
cnpy position Of Importance in the regulation
OF waterfiow and Of other climatic conditions
and emphasizes the importance OF the relations
which the forests bear to the problem of irriga-
ton in the arid lands Of their immense annual
product.
The subject Of agricultural organizations is
dwelt upon earnestly, their astonishing growth
during the last few years being cited as strong
evidence Of the growth OF the spirit OF se]f-help
among the farmers. The farmers institutes
are referred to particularly as one of the great
est 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 az
ricnltural colleges and experiment stations.
The Secretary recommends, without going into
details, that the department should be en-
powered to afford aid and encouragement to
this work.
In regard to pleuro-pncumonia the situation
Is regarded as most encouraging. Thanks to
tho vigilance and vigorous measures which
have been exercised, this disease is row effect
ually 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 A
careful review OF the field, together with the
arrangements made for the supervision Of the
limited districts still infected justify, in the
Secretary's opinion, 1.-The most sanguno
hopes" in regard to the proximate complete
eradication Of the disease.
Tho language used by tho Secretary in
urging the adoption OF a National meat
inspection law is pointed and vigorous. The
necessity for inspection ut the time of slaugh-
! ter is, first, to enable tho authorities to
promptly locate any cattle disease centers
and, secondly, to avoid the anomaly Of leaving
the inspection OF our meat products to the OIL
GERS OF other countries, thus giving foreign gov
| crn1ents some show OF reason for tho claim
OF diseases among American cattle than
are enjoyed by our own Government.
Authority and means arc also de-
| sired to enable tho department to
| exercise close supervision Of the economic
| side Of the cattle markets, the characteristics
Of stock commanding the highest price, varia-
tons as to age, weight and quality and all
facts bearing upon the cattle industry which
| will enable the bureau to supply to farmers
| such Information as it is impossible for them to
| obtain for themselves.
The sheep and wool industry secures special
attention In the report. The reduction Of the
tariff in 1888 is earnestly deplored. To it is at
tributcd the great reduction in the number Of
sheep, which has since then fallen Off by about
100000 head while the importation OF wool has
increased from 7s,S5o,6s1 pounds in 1884 to 1885,
| 49,, 729 pounds the last year.
In conclusion the report submits figures
showing the importance of agriculture, which
produces On annual yield OF nearly 81 OCO 900 OO0
employing on the S. Goo farms Il ,0o) 600 per
sons, representing population of 60, 5000 peo
pie. while the value OF live stock alone is esti-
mated at &, 5o7 100000.