The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1891-11-12
NUMBER 4s..

ffculty of remedying this evil, he points
out that u partial remedy, to, provide
which Is the duty of his department, is
to keep the farmer fully informed in
regard to the market values of his
wares This will at least save him Il
from the penalty Of ignorance and the
unscrupulous greed Of traders, and he
concludes 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.
He congratulates the country upon
the success attending the practical ap-
plication at the department experiment
station in Kansas bt the alcohol process
perfected in the laboratory of the de-
partment, for the extraction Of sugar
from sorghum. The practical tests
have realized all the anticipations
formed in the laboratory experiments,
and the cost of the process is found to
be so trifiing as to be practically insig-
nifcant. "rhere seems to be no rea-
son." he says, "why we should not,
therefore, look forward with confidence
to the day when the 500, 100000 paid
by Americans to foreign producers for
sugars should be turned into the pock-
cts of our own people,"
In all our efforts towards diversity
ing our crops, climatic conditions must
play an important part, and In this
connection he declared his conviction
of the Importance and value to agri-
cultural interests of the tran sfer to his
department of the weather bureau a
| l.. l,o ,,fA
orally received with great satisfaction
since the increase in signal stations
from $50 to 1000, and of voluntary OBJ
servers from 800 to 2,20o Plans have
been agreed upon and undertaken
with view to eularging and extending
the work of the bureau especially in
aid of the agricultural interests.
Secretary RusS devotes considerable
space to review of the work Of the
bureau of animal 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 a thorough
quarantine is exercised. He earnestly
recommends increased appropriations
to extend meat inspection to all appli-
cants.
1.-THE benefits" he says, (which have
already accrued by the opening up of
the foreign markets to pork products,
the increased demand for beef products.
and the re-establishment of their repu-
tation for wholesomeness and sound
ness in the markets of the world, to-
gether with the protection which this
inspection furnishes to our own con-
| 1iharn1
priation.'
In reviewing the work of the division
of chemistry with reference to the adul-
teration of foods, the secretary empha-
sizes especially the adulterations of
coffee. which are found to extend to q
very large percentage, not only of the
ground coffees, but of the coffee bean,
: = wholly artificial coffee beans having
. been introduced into the market Of
y. which many samples bought on the
. open market were found to largely con-
!, sist. These artificial beans are sold to
= the trade at four cents a pound. In
9 large measure, they are imported, and
, the secretary urges that such importa-
: ton, as well as their manufacture or
use in this country be absolutely pro-
hibited.
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
In concluding his report he indicates
that from the time he assumed the
reins of office he has devoted his per-
sonal attention to a general enlarge
ment of the scope of the work of the
, ,, department in the interest of practical
agriculture, especially the extension
of the market for the disposal of the
. surplus of our great staple crops, in
Guiding the cereals and our vast animal
products, and the enlargement of our
productive capacity, SO as to achieve
the gradual substitution of home
grown for imported products, and to
I bringing the department into such close
relations with the farmers as would ac-
quaint them with it's work, inspire them
. with confidence in it's ability to serve
them and forcibly impress upon the Of
y ficers of the department themselves the
: wants and conditions of the tiller of the
D soil These objects he believed to have
been measurably attained, and further,
he is of the opinion that by steadily keep
: ing them in view and extending and
: developing the means already adopted
u towards their accomplishment, we may
) reasonably entertain the hope of plac'
= ing this department upon a plane OF
usefulness commensurate with the
&c fondest anticipations of all those who
i labored so long and earnestly to raise
| 4 "a "a, a. 81 stu en-
's extend its opportunities for valuable
- work.
|
ia nEhTL IN MIME