Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-11-21

JERRY Is so PROUD.
The Department ef Agriculture Rspsr
shows This.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 20.-sscretsry
Rusk has sought TO make HE fourth
and last annual report. - head OF the
department OF agriculture. . valuable
document. and has grouped together
many interestlng facts 70 show what
agricultural people we are; and what
proper thing il Was 10 make the prime
commissioner of agriculture . cabinet
oflicer. He says We sent abroad last
year two hundred million dollars Of
products more than We had to import
from foreign nations, and 80 per cent.
Of these products were Agricultural.
He claims some credit for that, b.
cause he shows an increase OF forty
million pounds weight Of pork sent
TO countries which formerly excluded
American pork. and forty million dol
lars value increase in our exports OF
1--we cattle. Ali this come from the in
creased precautions to secure health
fulness Of American food prod ucts.
The regulations enforced tor the pre-
ventiou of Texas fever alone. have
saved cattle growers moro than three
times the cost of running the whole de-
psrtmeut, and as u the suppression OF
pluro- pneumonia, the secretary grows
emphatic aud eloquent. Notwithstand-
ing the assertions TO the contrary of
wicked and prejudiced London news-
papers. he again declares that pleuro-
pneumonia does not exist in the United
States.
This result. he claims has been oh
tained at . cost less by, 500. 200 than
was paid out by Great Britain, during
seven years, IS indemnity for elaugh-
tered cattle alone. He also points out
that the total loss to the cattle growers
of Great Britain by this disease, IN
deaths alone, has amounted 10 not less
than half . billion dollars. and that
this is tho only country in the world
where the disease, having once gained
= foothold, has been entirely eradl-
Gated.
He explains why our wheat did not
realize the big hopes raised by the
short crops in VARIOUS European coun-
tries IN 1891. by saying that those an
ticipations of enhanced prices failed 10
take into account the changed con-
ditions nov surrounding the produc-
tion and marketing Of the worlds
wheat crop.
Taking the world throughout. the
crops more than equalled the lean
crops of 1891. 90 that there WAS ac-
tualiy more wheat grown in that year
than in $780," Even the exports from
Ruesla, where famine existed in 90
large . section, anu where exports
fr<~ <k,h toA "A
TO los, 900 900 bushels. Nearly as much
as the average of the past four years
and more than the average for the
past ten years.
He says: ''The conditions which have
at last overwhelmed cotton growers
now confront wheat growers."
Hence The American farmer must
reduce the wheat acreage aud 60 bring
production down to the normal de-
mand. While insisting that southern
cotton growers must continue to reduce
the acreage of cotton planted. be has
some encouragement TO offer them in
the shape OF new varieties OF cotton
seed.
He has undertaken experiments with
imported seed to secure the production
of . homegrown cotton which will
meet ali the requirements for which
Egyptian and other cottons are now
imported. He also wants the United
States 10 raise its own silk. instead of
sending twenty-five million dollars q
year abroad for the raw material; ana
ne thinks We might also save sixty
seven millions . year which We now
spend on imported fabrics.
He has some hopes Of getting the
Germans to use our Indian corn. Many
difficulties have attended the introduc-
ton of . new food heretofore generally
regarded IN Europe ~ not suitable for
human consumption. A mixed corn
and rye bread found necessary TO
secure keeping qualities IN . country
where all bread IL made and cold by
the bakeries and corn-grinding machin-
cry purchased in America is now in use
in several mills in that country. One
result Is the maintenance OF the price
of corn in the face of largely increased
exports, conditions which have hereto.
fore always accompanied great de-
precIation in price.
The corn exports for 1890. the only
year in which they have equalled those
of the present year. brought the price
down TO . fractien under q cents .
bushel At the port OF shipment against
. fraction over 30 cents per bnshel THE
year. difference agRregaiing on the
exports Of the past fscal year not iess
than $4,000. 900. The report 10 the
FIRST from the cabinet TO lind ite way tt
the presidents desk.
Secretary Rusk throws cold water on
the rain-makers The experiments are
being D@.slly made, ~ congress d..
rec,ed; but the facts in ilis possession
do not justify The anticipst'ons formed
ty the believers in this method OF arti
feial .sin-making.
As ms last word. the secretary es.
pres bis profound appreciation el
the cordial synipslhy snd broad intel
llgsnce with vhieh the president has
uniformly, throughout be administra
ton, needed tiis needs OF aEricultrre
He predicts fhxs the people Of thl
country viii learn ts appreciate rnor'
and more the fsct thst the first admin
is;rslioa. during watch the department
/ q ssriealsafs hsld the rank of al ex
ecatlve department OF ths government
ws. pres dea over ~ q chief sxecutls.
wbo never failed % appreciate the ia
fffsff.nee of azffculturs. its dtFo4t'