Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-11-15
OUR FARMING INTERESTS.
First Annual Report of the
Department of Agriculture.
A Summary of Secretary Rusk's
Facts and Suggestions.

The annual report of the Secretary Of Ag-
riculture-tne first issued under the newly
constructed department-has been made pub
lie. Secretary Rusk says that the aggregate
sum asked for in his estimates must not be
measured by what is past, but by what
great agricultural country should do toward
sustaining, protecting and promoting
calling which lies at the foundation of its
DrOsDerity and power" OF those countries
which ARE the most active competitors or
American farmers in the worlds market"
Great Britain apprOpriates for agriculture
81, 800, 600; Germany, s2S5O,O 900; Brazil,
$40 OO0 600: for agriculture and mines;
France, IS, OOO, 900, and Austria more than
81 900 600.
OF the crop reporting system, he says:
wv lille approximate and valuable 1t is In dam
ger of becoming discredited by the popular
acceptance of its results as exact In precision
and absolute authority. 1t should be remem-
bered that they are not the conclusions OF
thorough census, though they may be far bet
ter than the work of a poor census; they are
the consultations of local estimates of agrl-
cultural experts. and are intended as foil to
the interested, biased and untruthful state
ments that SPECTATORS issue to mlslead their
victims"
The report urges the duty of the Govern
ment to assume a more definite supervision
of such forest areas as are still owned by 1t
and as occupy 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 or
their 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 splr-
it of Self-help among the farmers. The
farmers Institutes referred to particular
ly as one Of the greatest movements III the
history Of agriculture, and as the strongest
lever for raising and upholdlng the work OF
superior agricultural education represented
by our system of agricultural colleges and
experiment stations The Secretary recon-
mends, without going into details, that the
department should be empowered to afford
aid and encouragement to this work
The sheep and wool industry secures Spe-
cial consideration in the report. The
growth of the mutton interest is referred to
as one to be greatly encouraged. As to wool
growing, the reduction of the tariff In 1883 is
earnestly deplored To it is attributed the
great reduction in the. number of sheep,
which has since then fallen off by about
seven million head. while the importation of
wool has increased from rs, $50, 651 pounds in
1884 to 126, 4S7, 729 pounds the past year.
"On behalf of this industry" says the Secre-
tary, Il recommend these facts to you, and
should they be submitted to Congress- | ask
for them intelligent and careful considera-
ton"
The condition OF the sugar industry is re-
viewed in detail and the results declared to
be of a mixed character. The region where
the sorghum sugar industry may be attended
with success has been localized in the south
ern part of Central Kansas, west and south
of Wichita, and in parts of the Indian Ter
ritory resembling it in soil and climate. The
Secretary is seeking variety with higher
amOuntO of available sugar.
The botanical department is to be specially
occupied in an effort to solve the problem of
increasing the forage yield on the 800, 900
of the arid region outside Of possible ir-
rigation by promoting the productiveness of
the grasses now growing there.
The language used by the Secretary in re
gard to national meat inspection law is
pointed and vigorous. ''The necessity for
inspection at the time of slaughter is, first,
to enable the authorities to promptly locate
any cattle disease centres, and, second, to
avoid the anomaly of leaving the inspection
of our own meat products to the officials of
other countries, thus giving foreign Govern
ments some show of reason for the claim
that they have better opportunities for learn
ing of disease among American cattle than
are enjoyed by our own Government" He
accordingly advocates such an amendment
to the law under which the bureau is at pres
ent organized as will provide for such official
national inspection as shall guarantee the fit
ness of our meat products for food con-
sumption, under the seal of the United States
Courts"