Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-24

What the Year Has Done for TIL.
Farmers


WASHINGTON. Nov. 22.-The repor1
OK the Secretary of Agriculture has
been submitted to the President. The
report begins with "A comparison @
the last fiscal year with that Of forms q
years, and emp haSizes the fact that OF
the more than $1,000, 60 }. 900, repre-
sentlng the MORT, of oar d, IN tic pr
ducts for tn last year, nearly 80 p
cent consisted o. arricultur product.
thus not only maxim the United States
the creditor of the world for sum
exceeding $500, 600. OOO-the excess OF
our exports over imports but relieved
our home markets from surplu:
product which would otherwise hav.
reduced prices to point below tbs,
cost of production. For a large share
in bringing about the conditions which
have made these gratifying results
possible the Secretary claims credit fol-
his department.
In regard TO imports he finds encou,
agement for the farmers in the fact
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 1889 81 per cent of our i'm
ports were competing, only A per cent
of our imports for the last fiscal year
did so compete.
He nevertheless regards imports
competing with the products of ouI
own soil as still far too great. He in.
stances 10000 900 worth of animal
products, $67, 100000 worth of fibers
$27, 600, 900 worth of hides, $50, 900, 600
worth of fruits and wines, as articles
of this kind, and cites the imports Of
raw silk, amounting to $25, 900, OOQ
yearly, as an instance of products inn
ported which could with proper ep-
couragement be produced in our OWE
country.
Since his last report prohibitions
against American pork products have
been withdrawn in all countries where
they existed, and 10000, 900 pounds OF
inspected pork, which without inspec-
ton cou d not have found a 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 81 per cent, at an
advance IN prices which increased
values for the same period by 6615 per
cent He compares prices for Septem-
Der, 1892, with September, 1890, the
year before pork inspection was
adopted, and shows an increase of so
cents per 100 pounds in favor of this
year, an average of 50 a 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 difficu ties attended the intro
duction of 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
country where all bread is made and
sold by the bakeries, and corn grinding
machinery is now in use in several
mills in that ,.Ountrv One result IN
the main tenance of the price of corn
in the face of largely increased ex-
ports. conditions which have hereto
fore always accompanied great depre-
citation in price.