River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-11-12
A YEARS WORK.
Resume of the Doings of the Agricultural
Department ~ shown by Secretary

Resume of the Doings of the Agricultural
Department shown by secretary
Rusks report.
WASHINGTON. Nov. o. = Secretary
Rusl in his third annual report esti-
mates that the increase in the value of
agricultural products this year over
last viii not be less than $780,,
100000. He asserts that during
the first three months of the
present fiscal year American exports
in cereals alone have aggregated
$40. 000,000, with indications that the
sales abroad of the surplus from farms
will, during the present year, Largely ex-
coed those of any previous twelve
months. He notes the increase of some
$4,000, 600 in the imports of agricultur-
nj products during the first ten months
under the present law, by comparison
with the same period during the
last year under the old law, but en-
phasizes the fact that the increase is
confined almost entirely TO articles not
competing with home products; such
rs sugar, tea, coffee, etc. At the same
time, he claims that the changes in the
rates have checked the importation of
products which may be produced at
home.
He notes a decrease in tobacco inn
ports from Sl7, 600 600 TO $4,000. 600,
falling off in foreign barley of nearly
81, 500, 600, in eggs $3.50, 900, in horses
nearly Sl,5O0, 600, and a gradual decline
in the imports of all live
stock. Referring To the import
nf lsNas ~, e I,,4,- he
says that this causes great depre-
citation in prices realized for hides of
home production, and earnestly rec
ommends that the duty provided for in
section of the tariff act, approved
October l, 1890, be imposed in all cases
where the countries froIn which such
hides are shipped have not granted
equal concessions in regard TO the adj
mission of the agricultural products of
the United States
He speaks at some length of the with
drawal of the governments of Ger
many, Denmark and Italy of the pro-
hibition against American pork, re-
views the subject of meat inspection
and urges system. of inspection for
all articles of food which are the sub
lCCt VI AiNNtSAuAC vi ibItAEn ildtAt
The secretary earnestly recommends
that congress be asked to make an APP
preparation sufficiently large to extend
the inspection to all applicants.
He estimates that the losses to our
pork raisers during the past ten years
owing to the prohibition, which an eff
ticient market inspection can alone re-
move, aggregate over $3.50. 000,-
600. lie concludes that the condi-
tioa of the United States trade
and the vigilant supervision of our gov
eminent justify the strongest presen-
tation to the British government of the
grievance which our cattle raisers suf-
fer unjustly by re ason of its arbitrary
regulations enforced against American
cattle, coupled with an urgent demand
for their removal, adding that they
have been clearly shown TO be use
less and that their maintenance can
only be regarded as an evidence of I'M
friendliness. He says we have far
more justification for the exclusion
from the United States OF all animals
coming from Great Britain and its de-
Tendencies than they have for the in
terposition of any obstacles to cattle
exports from the United States.
The secretary deems it the duty of
his department to keep the farmer
fully informed of the market value of
his wares in order that he may
know before he markets his
goods just what their value is.
lie congratulates the country upon
the success of the experiments in
the extraction of sugar from sorghum.
"Fhere seems to be no reason he
SAYS ''why we should not look forward
with confidence to the day when the
500, 600, 600 paid by Americans To for
eign producers for sugar should be
turned into the pockets of our own
people"
In all efforts towards diversifying
crops climatic conditions must play an
important part, and in this connection
he declares his convictions of the i'm
portance and value to agricultural in
terests of the transfer to his depart
ment of the weather bureau.
In reviewing the work of the division
of chemistry with reference to the
aduteration of foods the secretary
emphasizes especially the adultera-
tions of coffee, which are found to ex-
tend to a very large per-
centage not only of the ground
coffee but the coffee bean, wholly
artificial beans having been introduced
into the market, of which many.
samples bought on the open market
were found to largely consist. These
artificial beans are sold 10 the trade at
four cents pound. In large measure
they are imported, and the secretary
urges that such importations, as well
as their manufacture and use in this
country, be absolutely prohibited.
In concluding his report Secretary
Rusk states that from the time he as
sumed the reins of office he has de-
voted his personal attention TO gen.
eral enlargement of the scope of the
work of the department ia the interest
of practical agriculture, especially
to the extension of the market for
the disposal of the surplus of our great
staple crops. He points ont that to
fully carry out his views will unques-
tionably involve liberal expenditure,
but he says that within twenty years
the efforts of the department on such
lines as he has laid down will have in
creased the value of annual agricul-
tural products from between So. 600 000,
900 and $4,000, 900, 900 to at least twice
fhaf annrtnnf1c ctrFn