The times., 1891-11-13
HOME PRODUCTION OF SUGAR.
Confident That We Shall Soon Make All
We Want-FOod AduIteration,

Confident That We Shall Soon Make All
We want-Food AduIteration,
The secretary devOtes a paragraph to the
middlemaE, and the extent to which he is ena-
bled by various conditions, especially preva-
lent in America, to absorb n large proportion
Of the prices paid by the consumer for farm
products, thus unduly limiting the profits of
the farmer Admitting the difficulty of rcme-
dying this evil, he points out that partial
remedy, TO provide which Is the duty of his
department, is to keep the farmer fully in
formed in regard to the market values Of his
wares. This will at least save him from the
penalty of ignorance and the unscrupulous
greed of traders, and he concludes by stating
that it is his earnest desire and intention to
extend the work in this direction until every
farmer in the country may know, before he
markets his goods, just what their value is in
the nearest market.
Production of Our Own Sugar.
He congratulates the country upon the sue
cess attending the practical application at the
department experimental station in Kansas of
the alcohol process perfected in the laboratory
Of the department last year for the extraction of
sugar from sorghum, The practical tests have
realized all the anticipations formed in the
laboratory, and the cost of the process is found
to be so trifing as TO be practically insignifi-
cant. There seems to be no reason" he says,
"why we should not therefore look forward
with confidence to the day when the 800, ,000,-
900 paid by Americans to foreign producers
for sugars should be turned into the pockets Of
our own people,"
Transfer of the Weather Bureau.
In all our efforts towards diversifying our
crops climatic conditions must play an inn
portant part, and in this connection he declares
his conviction of the Importance and value to
agricultural interests of the transfer to his de-
partment of the weather bureau, transfer
which has, he finds, been generally received
with great satisfaction he instances the great
increase since the transfer in signal stations
$50 to 1,200-and of voluntary observers from
1,SC0 to 200. Plans have been agreed upon
and undertaken with view to enlarging and
extending the work of the bureau especially in
aid of the agricultural interests.
Inspection of Animal Food Products.
Secretary Rusk devotes considerable space
to n review of the work of the bureau of ami
NAL industry. Pleuro-pneumonia he regards
as quite under control and limited in territory
to two or three counties on Long island and in
New Jersey, over which thorough quaran-
tine is exercised He earnestly recommends
increased appropriations to extend meat in
spection to oil applicants. "'rhe benefits" he
says, which have already accrued by the
opening up of the foreign markets to pork
products, the increased demand for beef prod
ucts, and the establishment of their reputation
for wholesomeness and soundness in the mar
kets of the world, together with the protection
which this inspection furnishes to our own
consumers, amply justify a liberal appropria-
tien."
OF the rainfall experiments he states briefly
that they have been made, but that as regards
the production of rain he has no data yet at
hand which would justify him in expressing
any conclusions on the subject OF adultera-
tion of foods the secretary says there is great
deal. Especially is this true of coffee, a very
large percentage both of the bean and the
ground article being artificial, the.bogus bean
being imported. This he wants prohibited. He
believes this country capable of raising many
more agricultural products, and to that end rec
a further diversification of crops.
Remarks in Conclusion.
He closes with statement of his policy in |
the department, which Is and will be to help |
the farmer dispose of his surplus to the best |
encourage the production in this |
country of what we consume, bring the de- |
partment into closer relations with the farmer, |
and inspire him with its ability to serve him, |
and to continually extend thedepartment's OPP |
portunities for valuable work, so that it may |
finally reach plane of usefulness "commen-
surate with the fondest anticipations of all |
those who labored so long and so earnestly to |
raise 1t to Its present official dignity"
An Iowa Man Shoots His Wife.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 0-Charles f.
Vest, wealthy lumber dealer from Iowa