Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-21
SECRETARY RUSK
Makes Annual Report on the Agri.
culture Of the United States.


mitted to the President The report en-
phasizes the fact that of more than 81 ,oo0,-
600, 600 worth of exports Of our domestic
pruducts for the past year, nearly 50 per
cent. consisted of agricultural products,
making the United States the creditor of
the world for over $500 200, 900, excess
of our exports over the imports. and re-
lieving our home markets from the surplus
products which would otherwise have re-
duced the prices To point below the cost
of production.
For a large share in bringing about the
conditions which made these results possi-
bic the secretary claims credit for his de-
partment. He finds encouragement for the
farmers in the fact that in spite of the ag-
gregate increase there is a reduction in the
proportion of imports, consisting of pro-
duets which compete with American agri-
culture.
While in the fiscal year that ended in
lss9, 81 per cent. of the imports
consisted of competing products. only A
per cent. of our imports for the past fiscal
/ year did 50 compete. The secretary re-
CARDS the imports competing with the pro-
ducts of our own soil as still far too great.
He instances o.000 900 worth of animal
products, $50 900 900 worth of fibres, ST.
I UFp ,btAi W OTtIf u flues, WOItu
| of fruits and wines, as articles of this
kind, and cites imports of raw silk, amount
| ing to S91 900 900 yearly, as an instance
of the products imported, which could with
| proper encouragement be produced in this
country.
The secretary says that since his last re-
port, prohibitions against American pork
products have been withdrawn in all
/ rk1- - os..l v,I "A
900 of inspected pork exported.
Comparing the export trade for May.
June, July and August of this year, as a
period in which the effects of inspection
can be clearly noted, with the same period
of last year. he finds the increase in guam
tity shipped this year 81 per cent and ad-
vance in prices which increased the value
for the same period &c l-2 per cent.
He compares the prices for September,
1892, with September, 1890, the year be-
fore pork inspection was adopted and shows
an increase of 80 cents per 100 pounds in
favor of this year, an average of 81 per
head, on every hog sold, an increase in |
price highly gratifying in view of the large |
increase in the number of hogs marketed. |
The secretary declares that the regula-
tions for the control and prevention of
money to cattle growers yearly as is re-
quired to run the whole department. He
says that inspection laws has restored the |
confidence of foreigners to the bealthful- |
ness of our cattle. Live cattle exports in |
1889 amounted to 20j. 900 head, and in 1892 /
we exported 3g4 900, an increase in value |
averaging IS per head.
The secretary says of the. work of his
Indian corn agent in Germany, that many
difficulties attend the introduction of new
food, heretofore generally regarded in Eu- |
rope as not suitable for human consumption. |
The corn grinding machinery purchased in
America is now in use in several mills in /
that country. One result of the efforts has |
been the maintenance of the price of corn |
in the face of largely increased exports.
Corn exports for 1889, the only year in !
which they equalled these of the present |
year, brought the price down to fraction |
under ~ cents per busbel at port of ship |
ment, against fraction over 5J cents a l
bushel this year, the difference aggregat- |
ing on the exports of the past fiscal year |
not less than $40, 600, 900.
The secretary refers to over production |
and the low price of cotton during the past
few years, and commends the efforts of
growers to reduce the cotton area and de- |
vote portion of their land to other crops. |
He calls attention to the great increase of
the last year in our imports of raw cotton. |
During the past fiscal year raw cotton |
was imported free of duty to the amount of
81, ,2l5 ,3O3. as against 80 S25 ,004 for the |
year previous. Most of our imported cot |
ton comes from Egypt demanded by manu- |
facturers on account of its peculiar charac- |
teristics. Some imports of cotton were |
made from Peru. and the secretary is in
formed that all Peruvian cotton imported |
finds its way into the manufacturing of
wooden goods, this Gotten being specially |
available for mixing with. wooden goods |
without detection.
With view Of checking the imports of
foreign cotton the secretary designed some |
experiments with the hope Of producing
cotton of home growth which shall serve as
a sufficient substitute for the Egyptian.
The secretary attributes the excessive
anticipations formed regarding the price of
wheat throughout the crop year of 1891, to
the failure to appreciate the changed con-
ditions now surrounding the production and
marketing of the worlds wheat crop. lie
said the conditions that at last overwhelmed
the cotton growers now confront the wheat
growers.
The American farmer must reduce ms
wheat acreage and so bring the production
down TO the normal demand. He says the
domestic market that has heretofore alb
sorbcd 1900 600 bushels of foreign bar
ley is low reserved for domestic product
and our acreage and production has in
creased and been disposed of at good
prices.
The experience of the department in the
domestic sngar industry the past year, the
report states, shows that domestic sugar
can be produced with profit to the grower
of the crop and to the manufacturer, pro-
vidcd the conditions of culture and manu-
faeture insisted upon by the department are
secured.
The secretary says the total number of
animals subjected to ante and post mortem
examinations for the fiscal year exceeds
) 600 600. The cost of inspection was
$50 900. He states that pleuro-pneumonia
caused a loss TO British cattle growers of
$500, 600 and asserts that this is the only
country where that disease, having gained n
foot. old has been entirely eradicated.
The secretary reviews the work done M
der his administration and makes a number
of recommendations.
GOVERNOR BURLEIGH