The Forrest City times., 1891-11-13
FACTS FOR THE FARMERS
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SEC.
 RETARY OF ACRICULTuRE.
The yalue Of Farm Products over Last Year VIII Re Sot Less
 Than s7o0,00o, ,oO0.

WASHINGTON, Nov. in - Secretary Rusk in his third annual report as Secretary of Agriculture says that, notwithstanding the abundant yield Of crops this year, values are well sus- tained, and estimates that the increase in the value of agricultural products over last year will be not less than s1OO, 600, 900. He states that during the first three months of the present fiscal year our exports in cereals alone have aggregated S76, ,O00. 900. adding that the indications now are that the sales abroad of the surplus from our farms will during the present year largely exceed those of any previous year.
 He notes the increase by some S2s.- 00o, 900 in the imports of agricul- tural products during the first ten months under the present law, by comparison with .he same period dur ing the old year, but emphasizes the fact that the increase is confined largely to articles not competing with home products, such us sugar, tea. coffee, etc. At the same time, he states that the change ln the rates has checked importation of products which may be produced at home. He notes decrease in tobacco imports from ST, ,000. 900 to &, 0oo, 900, a falling off In foreign barley of nearly S3, 5o0,- 000, in eggs S1, ,250, QUO, in horses a fall ing off of nearly sl. 300. 900 and grad ual decline in the imports of all live stock
 Referring to the import of hides ad- mitted free of duty, he states that this causes great depreciation in prices re ali ed for hides of home production and earnestly recommends that the duty provided for in section 5 of the tariff act approved Oct. l, 1890, be inn posed in all cases where the countries from which such hi es are shipped have not granted equal concessions in regard to the admission of the agri- cultural products of the United States.
 In speaking of the inspection ot meat tor exportation the secretary says:
 Our people demand something more than protection from communicab ble diseases In most. if not all, Europe an countries, inspectors, according to their reports, freely pass for consump- tion the meat of animals affected with foot and mouth disease. pleuro-pneu- monia, localized tuberculosis, acti- nomycosis and similar diseases, which, according to the views and customs of this country, must be condemned. But all the meat for the foreign market is inspected tEe same as that designed for home consumption. In this res pect, as in others, we have met the ob- Jections which have been raised to American products, and have not only removed the cause but have gone be- yond what was asked by our critics
 Up to the 1st of October there has been total of 1.ols,61i animals in- spected, both before and after slaugh- ter; there were G3.672 carcasses of hogs examined mieroscopically and the total number Of animals con- demned and sent to the fertilizing tanks was but I,s16. The cost of the work has been within the anticipated limit and is Icing considerably re- duced as the work proceeds.
 am of the opinion that the inspec- tion of animals and their marking for Identification may be accomplished for sum not exceeding , cents head and that the cost of microscopical ex- animation of hogs will not exceed cents head.
 The Secretary earnestly recommends that Congress be asked to mako an ap propriation sufficiently large to extend the inspection to all applicants.
 He estimates that the losses to our pork raisers during the last ten years, owing to the prohibition by foreign coudtries, aggregate over S2oo, LOGO. 900. Pleuro-pneumonia he regards as quite under control and limited in territory to two or three counties on Long Isl- nd md in "A. ,ol. thorough quarantine is exercised. In- spection by American veterinarians of cattle landed in Great Britain has been continued, as we'll as the inspec- tion of such animals before ship ment Since the beginning of thls work there has been inspected al together up to Oct. l, 1891, 326, ,5I9 head of animals.
 A very slight decrease in the mum Der of cattle exported is noted, which is attributed to the increase in price, cattle bringing in June, 1891, from SIPS to Sl.50 head more than in June, 1890. The inspection of imported animals has been rigidly maintainei. The result of the inspection of vessels carrying export cattle has been to materially reduce the losses resulting from lack of ventilation, overcrowding and weak fittings
 In concluding his report Secretary Rusk states that from the time he assumed the reins of office he has de- voted his personal attention to a gen. eral enlargement Of the scope of the work of the department in the interest of practical agriculture, especially to the extension of the market for the ii ,.f nttr at staple crops He points out 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 win have in- creased the value of our annual agri- cultural products from between S3, ,0o0,- GOO, Ou0 and S4, GOO, DOC, ,O00 to at least twice that enormous sum.