The morning call., 1890-11-10
Work Of the Department Of
Agriculture.
Secretary Rusk Reviews the Experiences
Of tbs Past Year.
How Tariff and Silver Legislation Benefits
the Farmer = Efforts 10 Stamp Out
Diseases on Vine and Tree.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

bpeCldl 10 IHE MORNING CALL
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.-The Secretary Of
Agriculture has presented his annual re-
port to the President. By comparing the
prices at Chicago for October 10th Of 1890
and of 1889. he shows marked increase in
the values of agricultural products. es-
pecially cereals A tabular statement Of
the agricultural exports of the last fiscal
year, including live animals, barley. hay,
potatoes, hops, cheese, eggs, flax, wool,
being given for each. indicates material
Increase in import duties on these articles,
and shows each to have been imported in
considerable quantities.
EFFECT OF LEGISLATION.
The Secretary says that, without ignoring
the effects of natural causes in enhancing
values, it is evident the economic legislation
OF the last session OF Congress has directly
benefited the farmers. The improved value
of cereals has, lie believes, been largely due
to the silver legislation, viii cb, moreover,
has lessened the influence Of Russia and
India. our wheat competitors in the British
markets.
CATTLE AND PORK EXPORTS.
Our increased export trade in cattle and
animal products is another cause of con-
graduation, which lie traces to the energetic
and effective measures adopted for the eradi-
cation OF pleuro-pneumonia and to the grow
ing appreciation at home and abroad of the
departments ability TO suppress or eifectu-
Nr1l u
declares that not a single case of contagious
pleur0-pneumonia has been alleged to exist
among American cattle shipped to British
ports since March last. Similar energy has
been directed to our pork interests. The
Secretary stro Ugly recommends an inspec-
ton law, more comprehensive than the
present one, for all animals slaughtered for
the interstate or foreign trade.
THE SUGAR BEET.
The outlook for the home sugar industry
is considered favorable. An analysis by
the department chemist of beets grown in
various States from seed distributed last
spring indicate a high per cent Of sugar, and
affords what is regarded as a conclusive
proof that large sections of the country are
adapted to the successful culture of the
sugar beet The practical results obtained
in Nebraska and Kansas, he says, demon
strate the feasibility Of homegrown sugar
manufacture.
In the Bureau of Animal Industry. ar
rangements have been perfected for dairy
division, the establishment of which was
delayed somewhat by the lack of necessary
legislation. Cooperation, with experiment
stations, has been undertaken on important
lines, including experiments with grasses in
arid regions and the trial of new economic
plants, and collection of agricultural
statistics Of reports on growing crops and of
the probable supply of staple products in the
markets of the world.
IMPORTANT INDUSTRIES.
The production of raw silk as an In
digenous industry, is referred to in not very
encouraging terms. though its importance is
emphasized by reference to imports of raw
silks, which have largely increased during
the year, and are valued this year at up
ward of S24,000,000, but the necessity for
favorable legislation well as for improve
ments in machinery is insisted upon. En- :
couraging words are spoken with reference
to fax culture, Secretary RuSk believing
the recent changes in the tariff on lincns,
will serve to encourage manufacturers to
provide market for homegrown flax.
Irrigation and an artesian supply of water
are made subjects of special reference.
THE WEATHER BUREAU.
Reference is made to the forthcoming
transfer of the weather bureau to the De-
partment of Agriculture, with n declaration
of the Secretary's desire to widen the pres
ent scope of the bureau so as to increase its
benefits TO agriculture. He also insists
strongly uron the necessity for more fire.
quent representations of the department at
meetings of agricultural and kindred So
cieties.
The possibility of serving corn-growers
throughout the country by extending the
has engaged the Secretary's attention with
the result that he has appointed a special
agent abroad, having special qualifications
for this duty. to investigate and report upon
the possibilities of promoting the c0nsump-
tiOn of Indian corn in European countries.
In concluding his report he says: "a
careful review of the past year aud gen.
eral survey Of the agricultural fed to-day,
betokeD u marked Improvement in the con-
dition Of our agriculturiSts, and promises
we'll for their future well being" He ends
by declaring that he looks forward with
confidence ito the time when in tho high
quality of its work, as well as in the magni-
tude of its enterprise, the agriculture of the
United States shall not only lead all other
Industries in this country, but shall be
leader in this great industry of all other
countries"
SILK CULTURE.
Concerning silk he says: 81 stated in my
last report that in regard to silk culture
the real question to be determined as to the
possibility OF establishing this industry in
the United States Is that which concerns
the reeling 0f silk and the conversion of CO.
cOOns into marketable thread. While l
have looked for assistance in the solution
OF this problem and the improvement of
machinery for reeling silk, / have neverthe-
less become quite convinced that, even
with such machinery perfected, il would be
neceS.ar for manufacturers to have some
OF ont nit thnr in fba chon pf hrttr
on inn orted raw silk or a bounty for such
as might be produced in the United States.
INCREASED IMPoRTATIoNS
"The Importance of this subject and the
desirability of establishing such an industry
are beyond dispute, and as though 10
strengthen the claim ON behalf of home
grown silk we find as great an increase as
nearly 20 per cent on the imports of manu-
factured silk during the past fiscal year
over the preceding one, the imports of this
product Tor the fiscal year ending June 80,
1889, being in value $l9,333, ,229, and for the
fiscal year ended June 50, 1890, S24, ,33l ,S67.
Under these circumstances | confess that it
would be a source OF great regret to me to
see the Abandonment of all efforts locking
to the establishment of silk raising in the
United States, but l cannot but reiterate
my conviction that to all the improvement
in mechanical devices which American in
genuity can bring about must be added the
some bill embodying this idea become law
during the coming winter it will afford me
great pleasure to be the instrument for exc
cutting it and creating for this industry n
brighter outlook than at present exists.
GRAPE DISEASES.
"The division of vegetable pathology was
the first agency in this country to introduce
the use of fungicides for grape diseases, and
1t is estimated as a result Of its work that
nearly five thousand grape-growers in all
parts of the country treated their vineyards
for milldew and black rot in $780, and the
amount Of fruit saved in this way will vary
from 30 to 80 per cent OF the crop. Laboca-
tory work has been pushed forward with
vig0r, the principal subjects under investi-
CATION being peach yellows, California grape
disease, pear blight, cotton disease, bacterial
disease Of oats and so-caled riots" of sweet
potatoes. The laboratory investigations OF
the California grape disease have been
mainly in the line of psychological study OF
diseased parts of the vine supplemented by
incubation experiments, with a view to de-
termfning the contaminous and nOn-contami-
nous nature of the malady. Numerous facts
bearing on this subject have been accumu-