Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-11-25
WEALTH IN THE SOIL.
What the Year Has Done for the

What the Year Has Done for tho
Farmers.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 32.-The repor.
OF the Secretary Of Agriculture has
been submitted to the President. The
report begins with comparison of
the last fiscal year with that of former
years, and emp hasizes the fact that Of
the more than $1,000, go 600 repre-
Senting the EXPORT of O IT It, IN tie pr.
duets for III last yea, ncavly so pr
cent conSlS ed o a rrcultural products,
thus not on Y maxim the United States
the creditor of the world for a sum
exceeding 500, OO0 O0O-thc excess OF
our exports over imports but relieved
our home markets. from surplus
product which would otherwise have
reduced prices To Il point below tho
cost of production. For IL largr share
in bringing about the conditions which
have made these gratifying results
possible the Secretary claims credit for
his department.
In regard to imports he finds encouI
agement for the farmers in the fach
that in spite Of an aggregate increase
there is reduction in the proportion
of imports consisting of products which
compete with our American agricul~
ture. for while in the fiscal year
ended in 1899 ~ per cent of our i'm.
ports were competing, only Al per cent
of our imports for the last fiscal year
did SO compete.
lie nevertheless regards importa
competing with the products of our
own soil as still far too great. He in.
stances 10000 900 worth of animal
products, SGT. o 600 worth Of fibers,
ST., OOO, 900 worth of hides, $50 600, 900
worth of fruits and wines, a .tcles
of this kind, and cites the imports of
raw silk, amounting to $25, 600, 900
yearly, as an instance of products inn
ported which could with proper en-
enlargement be produced in our own
country.
Since his last report prohibitions
against American pork products have
been withdrawn in all countries where
they existed, and 40, 900, 600 pounds Of
inspected pork which without inspec-
ton cou d not have found market
abroad, have been exported. Compar-
ing the export trade for May,
June, July and August of this
year as period in which the
effects of the inspection can be clearly
noted with the same period last year,
he notes an increase in quantity
shipped this year of CO per cent, at an
advance in prices which increased
values for the same period by 66I per
cent. He compares prices for Septem-
Der, 1892, with September, 1890, tho
year before pork inspection was
adopted, and shows an increase of 80
cents per 100 pounds in favor Of this
year, an average of So head on every
hog, an increase in price highly graft
flying in view of the large increase in
the number of hogs marketed.
Reviewing the regulations for the
control and prevention of Texas fever,
he concludes with the declaration that
they have saved three times as much
money to cattle growers yearly as is
required to run the whole department.
The Secretary says of the work of his
Indian corn agents in Germany. that
many difficulties attended the intro
duction Of a new food heretofore gen
orally regarded in Europe as not suit
able for human consumption. a mixed
corn and rye bread was found neces-
sary to secure keeping qualities in a
country where all bread is made and
sold by the bakeries, and corn grinding
machinery is now in use in several
mills in that country. One result In
the maintenance of the price of corn
in the face of largely increased ex-
ports, conditions which have hereto
fore always accompanied a great depre-
citation in price.