Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-11-15

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Secretary Ruak's Report.
Although our Geographic columns,
some days ago contained brief refer.
ence 10 the second annual report Of Hon
J NJ. Ru-k Of the Department OF Agri-
culture; we deem his summary Of the
work Of this Department for the past
year 40 important to our farmers, and
containing 50 many suggestions Of value
hat we present below more complete
abstract than has yet appeared in our
columns:
At the beginning we have the secre-
tsry's congratulations on the improved
outlook for agriculture, which he con-
ceives is already beginning to rally under
the stimulus Of protection and the
reduced power of foreign competition
through the tariff aud the restoration Of
the bimetsIllc currency. He quotes
| figures to show that there has been con-
siderable advance In the prices OF the
principal farm products over those Of
1889. Our total exports of animals and
fowls for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1890 were over s33, 900 900 The increase
In the number Of exported hogs Is from
IL, 900 to 9l,000. There has been
large increase In our foreign beef
trade, while our exports Of butter
reach $40, 14s ,0i2 against sl5, 504, 1913 the
previous year. "a careful review Of the
trade shows how urgent it is that we
should secure more favorable regula
tons in the chief European countries In
regard to our exports Of animals and
animal products" the first step toward
which Is to secure the immunity of our
animals, as far as possible, from disease.
This has already been practically done,
and we have three officially recognized
inspectors in Great Britain to cooperate
with her own officials in looking after
the health of American animals landed
In her ports. Two months OF such
cooperative inspection have disclosed
no case Of disease, nor indeed has any
been discovered since March last. Nogo
tlations with other European nations are
going on through the state department
Meantime thorough system Of inspect
ing animals for export from this country
has been established
The Inspection OF imported animal
continues. Great hope for the success
Of our sugar Industry is expressed, the
bounty on sugar adding 10 the impetus
already given Ia this industry. The
secretary expresses satisfaction with the
work OF the bureau OF Animal Iudu-try,
and protests against the power given to
the secretary of the treasury to suspend
the operations OF the law regulating the
Inspection of cattle, hides, ETC.,, since
that oiiiger has not the facilities for
knowing the existence OF disease among
he cattle of foreign countries, as the
sources Of information are alone in the
hands of the secretary Of agriculture
The secretary eontemplstes the estab-
lishmeut of a dairy division in the
Bureau of Animal Industry, which shall
give such information and encourage
rnent to the dairy industry Of the
country as its universally and
great Importance shall demand,
Under this division will be placed
the poultry interests of the country for
the immediate future. The divisions OF
chemistry, statistics, entomology, mi.
croscopy. ornithology. forestry, meteor
ology. botany. vegetable pathology and
pomology, all in turn come in for few
words of commentator and future
promise from the secretary.
Secretary Rusk is not sanguine about
the success Of the silk section, owing to
our inability to reel silk and put 1t into
marketable shape. Our imports OF un-
manufactured silks during the last
fiscal year reached sa4 1881 1857 This
he thinks shows its Importance, and he
advises duty on imported manu-
featured silks or a bounty on home
manufactured. He is more hope
full Of the fax industry and thinks it can.
In all its ramsfications, be successfully
carried on In the United States. The
investigations in regard to artesian wells
In the West are pronounced successful.
satisfactory and encouraging. As to
experiment stations. the secretary has
only good words for them, as all the
conditions "conspire to give the promis.
Of constantly increasing usefulness H..
names the sum Of eco, 900 as necessary to
enable him to carry on the work OF the
division of Records and Editing.
The secretary wrestles with the seed
division, and IL endeavoring to send out
new and useful eds to experiment sts.
tons. The gardens and grounds are
kept up, and the weather bureau has 10
be looked after. He has n praiect for
a'sena all the ieadihs iairs OF the country
and IN addition. to get all the informa-
ton he can from volunteer correar,an