The record-union., 1891-11-09
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF SEC
RETARY RUSK.
Indications That the Export of Cereals
This Year VIII Greatly Exceed
Any Previous Year.
Snecial to the REcoRn-rN1oN.

WASHINGTON, Nov. s. - Secretary
Rusk, IN his third annual report, esti-
mates that the increase in value of agri-
| cultural products over last year will be
not less than $500, 100000. He states that
during the first three months of the pres
ent fiscal year the exports in cereals ar
gregated S76,000,000, adding that the indi-
cations now are that the exports this year
viii largely exceed those of any previous
year He notes an increase by some
S2S, ,OOO,O coo in the imports Of agricultural
products during the first ten months un-
der the present law, but emphasizes the
TACT that the increase was confined
largely to articles not competing with
home products, such as sugar tea coffee
etc. At the same time the changes in
rates has checked the importation Of pro-
ducts which may be produced at home.
speaking OF the inspection of meat for
expectation, the Secretary says: ''Our
people demand something more than
protection from communicable diseases
In most, if not all, European counties
the inspectors, according to their reports
freely pass for consumption the meat of
animals affected with foot and mouth dis
eases, pleurO-pneumonia and similar dis
eases, which, according to the views and
customs of this country, must be con-
demned. But meat for the foreign mar
ket IS inspected the same as that designed
for home consumption. In this respect.
as IN the other, we have met the obiec-
tons raised to American products. and
not only removed the cause. bat have
gone beyond what was asked by our
critics. Up to the 1st of October there
was a total Of 1,016, GA animals inspected.
The carcasses of 1862 hogs were exam
ined microscopically and the total num-
ber condemned was but 1862
The Secretary earnestly recommends
that Congress be asked to make an ap-
preparation sufficiently large to extend
the inspection. He estimates the losses
to pork-raisers during the past ten years.
owing to propagation by foreign cOun-
tries, at an aggregate of over $500, 600, coo.
The inspection of imported animals has
been rigidly maintained. The result has
been TO materially reduce the losses re-
sulting from lack of ventilation, over
crowding and weak fittings IL vessels.
The Secretary points out that for over a
year there has been no well authenticated
case of pleuro-pneumonia in American
cattle exported to foreign countries. He
regards it highly desirable that the peo-
pie of foreign countries should be in
formed of our resources and facilities for
supplying their wants.
The Secretary deems it the duty of his
department to keep the farmer flllv in
formed of the markets. He congratulates
the country upon the success OF experi-
ments in the extraction of sugar from
sorghum; notes with satisfaction the
general and growing interest shown by
all classes in the cause of agriculture: ex-
presses desire for closer cooperation be-
tween the various educational forces in
the country for the advancement of prac-
teal agriculture, and urges that the slen-
der thread connecting the department
with the agricultural colleges and stations
be strengthened.
In reviewing the work of the division
of chemistry, with reference to the
adulteration of foods, the Secretary en-
phasizes especially the authorizations of
coffee, which were found to extend, to a
large percentage, not only Of ground cof-
lee, but of the coffee bean. Wholly arti-
ficiaI beans have been introduced into
the market. In large measure the artifi-
cial beans are imported, and the Secre-
tary urges that such importations, rs well
as their manufactures and use in this
country, be absolutely prohibited.
Touching the experiments in producing
rain, he stated briefly that they had been
made, but he has no data vet at hand
which would justly him in making any
conclusions on the subject.