St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-01-24
+ acmer Rusk's Renor+

"ASHIN8TON, Nov 1O-In his report
on agriculture, Secretary Rusk SAYS that
| the market prices show a marked increase
III Ihe value ct agricultural prices this
| year over lat
The import duties on livestock and
agricultural products under the old and
! htW tarlft5 show q marked increase under
The latter. There has been an increts- in
! The tXporta'iOn Of cattle and hogs AMI
! owing 10 the effective measures adopled
| by tbs dapar nent, pleuro- pneumonia has
been erndlcated amCngsthe cattle. and tie
| DISEASES OF hogs spt under control. The
Northern cattle are now free from Texas
lever owing to the general compliance of
the ia"S ADOPTED last spring. The secre-
tary says:
The provisions IN the new tariff BIZ,
show some gIarlng incon i ,tenc,s.
For instance, under the old law H..
agricultural department had charge Of The
! sugar industry from the time the crop waa
planted until it had been manufactured
Now subordinate Of tho treasury DEPART
ment has entire control Of the sugar manu-
featuring industry and bounty pay ments
II 81 30 gives the Secretary Of the Treas
nry power to make laws relative to the
| importation Of cattle and - decide upon
questions lnvolvlDgS Familiarity with ami
INA! diseases at h ne and abroad
W herea7, the SEC retary Of agriculture is
the only person required by law TO be in
formed of the exstenc4 of animal diseases
in foreign Countries.
The production Of raw silk as an indi-
genNus industry is not very encouraging,
though It's importance is Emphasized by
reference to the imports of raw silk,
which have largely increased during the
year, and are valued for the year at up
wards of 81 OhO 600, but the necessity
for favorable legislation, as well as for
improvements in machinery, IS insisted
upon.
Mr.. Rusk states that the government
should p4blish the results of agricultural
experiments and distribute them.
Reference is made to the forthcoming
transfer Of the weather bureau to the de-
partment Of agriculture, with a declara~
ton OF the secretarys desire to widen the
present scope of the bureau, so as to in
crease its benefits TO agriculture He also
insists strongly upon the necessity for
more frequent representation of the de-
partment meeting of agriculture and
kindred societies. The possibilities of
serving the corn growers throughout the
country, by extending the market for In
gagged the secretary S attention, with the
result that he has appointed a special
agent abroad, having special qualifications
for tbs duty, TO investigate and report
upon the possibilities of promoting the
consumption Of Indian corn in European
countries.
On the whole the condition of the agri-
cultural classes has improved since the
last report.
In relation to sugar, Secretary RusE
says:
Encouraging progress has been maze
within the past year il the development
OF al Indigenous sugar industry. nder
the impetus given by the investigations of
TINS department, improved processes Of
manufacture have been introduced on
many OF the more prominent plantations
Of Louisiana, In Fiorida large tracts of
swamp land suitable for the cultivation of
sugar cane have been already reclaimed,
and the culture and manufacture of cane
have already been begun Ia Nebraska q
large beet sugar factory, capable of using
300 tons Of beet5 per day has been erected
with the best approved modern machinery,
and is now in successful operation. The
finest qua ity of granulated sugar is pro-
duced, which finds a ready local market.
thus avoiding all expenses of Transporter
ton to and from distant refinery.
careful study of the soil and climatic con.
ditions Of the country favorable to the
production of sugar beets has been made,
and those localities in the [ ntied States
best adapted for the purpose have been
pointed out.
The area incl,..7es zone of of territory
extending from the Atlantic TO the Pacific
with breadth of from 100 to goo miles; it
includes parts of New England States,
Northern New York, Northeastern Penn
svIvania, Northern Ohio, Indiana, illinois,
w sco1sin, Southern Iowa, parts of Neb
raSka and the Dakotss and large proper
lions of the Rocky Mountain plateau a d
of the Pacific slope Within these areas
it is confidently believed, and this belief
has been verified by the actual production
of good beets, will be found an adequate
acreage for the production of sugar on
large scale and from beets as rich as can
be grown in Europe 1t is not an idle pro-
ohecy to speak of the production of a
quantity of beet sugar in the near future
sufficient to supply one-half or more of all
The sugar consumed in thu United Srates.
The investigations in sorghum culture
lsve also been vigorously prosecuted, and
he department will soon be ready to offer
% the sorghum growers of the country
ew varieties of that plant which have
been already developed to a high degree
If excellence as sugar produces. At least
'ne sugar factory in Kansas has been
'perated the present year with profit to
he owners, with an output of three -
quarters of a millioa pounds of sugar,
demonstrating that with the best agricul-
ure, the best soil and climate, and the
'est machinery, sorghum sugar may be
lade at prcft