The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-12-02
UNCLE SANS FARM
Annual Report Of the Secre.
tary Of Agriculture.
The Enormous Valuation Of This
Years Big Crops.

Secretary Rusk has presented to the Presi-
dent his annual report as Secretary Of Ag-
r~iculture. The Secretary estimates the
probable increase in the value of agricultur-
ell products for 1891 over 1890 at not less
than s7OG. DOC, 900.
Our exports in cereals alone have aggre.
gated in value over s76, 0o0, 900. The indica-
tions now are that the sales abroad Of the
surplus from our farms will during the pres
emit year largely exceed those Of any pre-.
yious year.
He notes the increase by some SIS, 600. 600
in the imports of agricultural products dur
ing the first ten months, though they are
largely confined to articles not competing
with the home products, such as sugar, tea,
coffee, etc.
He also notes a decrease in tobacco from
$17, coo, 600 to Sc, 00O, 600; a falling of in for
eign barley of nearly $751; 600; in eggs, ST.
$50, 900; in horses a failing off Of 5 $500, 600.
and a gradual decline in the imports of all
live stock.
Referring to the import of hides, admitted
free of duty, he states that this causes q great
depreciation in prices realized for hides Of
home production, and earnestly recommends
that the duty provided for in the reciprocity
section of the new tariff law be imposed in
all cases where the countries from which such
tides are shipped have not granted equal
concessions.
The Secretary, in speaking Of the with
drawal by the Governments Of Germany,
Denmark and Italy Of the prohibition Of
American pork, expresses his high apprecia-
ton of the Presidents personal interest in
the matter, without which, he says, this
grand result could never have been at
tanned"
He reviews the subject Of meat inspection,
stating that it was not only demanded in
order to keep our foreign markets and de-
velop them, but that there was a very gen.
eral demand for some such inspection by the
people Of u own country.
He points out the fact that for more than
q year there has been no we'll authenticated
case Of transmission to foreign countries OF
q single case Of pleuro-pneumonia in Ameri-
can cattle. He says we have far more justi-
fcation for the exclusion from the United
States Of all animals coming from Great
Britain and its dependencies than they have
for the interposition Of any obstacles to cat
tie exports from the United States.
The Secretary devotes q paragraph to the
middleman, and the extent to which he Is
i enabled by various conditions, especially
prevalent In America, to absorb a large pro-
portion of the prices paid by the consumers
Tor farm products, thus unduly hmltlng tne
profits Of the farmer. 49,.
Admitting the difficulty of remedying this
evil. he points out that a partial remedy, to
provide which is the duty Of his department.,
Is to keep the farmer fully informed In re-
gard to the market values Of his wares.
Touching the experiments In producing
rain, he states briefly that they have been
made, but that he has no data yet at hand
which would justify him in expressing any
conclusion on the subject.
! The Secretary concludes his report by
making some suggestions as to the best
means Of maintaining the usefulness
of the department. and still further deyel.
oping its opportunities. He points out that
to fully carry out his views will unques-
tionably involve liberal expenditure, but he
saws that within twenty years the efforts OF
this department on such lines as he has LAID
down will have increased the value OF ouI
annual agricultural products from between
three and four thousand million dollars to Al
least twice that enormous sum.