Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-12-08
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
New and Important Lines Of Research
Undertaken.
Tho department of agriculture has I'M
d~eIiahen during the year two new ami
important lines of research. The first
relates to grasses and forage plants, with
the purpose of instructing and familiar
iZing the people az to the distinctive
grasses of the United States and teaching
them D to introduce valuahle foreign
forage plants which may be adapted to
this country. The second relates To agri-
cultural soils and crop production involv-
ing the analysis of samples OF soils from
ali sections of the American union. 10
demonstrate their adaptability to p%articu-
lar plants and crops. Mechanical analysis
Of soils may be of such in
estimable utility that it is
foremost in the new lines of agricultural
research, and the secretary therefore rec
ommcnds that n division having 1t in
charge be permanently established in the
department.
Weather Bureau.
The mount appropriated for the
weather bureau was s95l 100. or that
sum Sl33,500, or IA per cent, has been
saved and l. returned TO the treasury. As
Illustrating the usefulness of this service
II may be here stated that the warnings
which were very generally given OF two
tropical storms occurring in September
aud October of the present year. resulted
In OBTAINING safely in port 2,305 vessels
valued at $50, 2s3,0l3, laden with car
goes OF probably still greater value.
" hat Is much more important and graft
flying many human lives on these ships
were also undoubtedly saved.
Bureau OF Animal Industry.
The appropriation to the bureau Of ami
NAL industry was $4,000 and the expendi-
lures for the year were only $493. i2g. "A.
thus leaving uneXpended 1854. $50. ri. The
inspect on of beef animals for export and
interstate trade has been continued and
2,9il,oj head were inspected during the
year at a cost OF H. cents per head against
4aI cents for 1893. The amount of pork
m~icrOScopicHlly examined was 81, 431, g3,
pounds, against 20.6iI 40 pounds in the
preceding year. The cost of this inspec-
ton has been dim nished from 50 cents
per bead in 1898 to o. cents in 1894.
The expense of inspecting the pork sold in
1894 TO Germany and France by the United
states was SIS, a22 10. The quantity in
,pected was greater by 100000 pounds
than during the preceding year when the
cost OF such inspection was Si12,3G1. The
secretary Of agriculture recommends that
The law providing for the microscopic in
spection of export and interstate meat be
~ amended as TO compel owners OF the
meat Inspected to pay the cost of such in
spection, and | call attention 10 the
tT'6sees i've beef ;csattIes exported ana tsyred
during the year numbered 1865, 535. This is
an increase of 90, 533 head over the previous
| year. The sanitary inspection OF cattle
shipped TO Europe has cost an average of
1923 cents for each animal, and the cost of
inspecting southern cattle II the dis
infection OF ears aud stock yards average
81 cents per animal. The scientific in
quiries of the bureau of animal industry
have progressed steadily during the year.
Much tubercuiin and mallein have been
furnished TO state authorities for use in
the agricultural colleges and eX-
pertinent statements for the treat
ment of tuberculosis and CHAMBERS.
Quite recently this department has pub
lished the results of it's Investigations of
bovine tuberculosis and its researches will
be vigorously continued. Certain herds in
the District of Columbia will be thor
oughly Inspected and will probably supply
adequate scope for the department to in
t~clligently prosecute its scientific work
and furnish sufficient material for pur-
poses of illustration. description and def
milton. The sterilization of milk sus-
pected of containing the baccilli of tuber-
colosis has been during the year very thor
ougly explained in II leafiet by DIR, ID. +.
salmon, the chief of the bureau, and given
general circulation throughout the coun-
try.
Experiment Stations.
The Office of experiment stations. which
is Il part of the United States department
Of agriculture, has during the past year
engaged itself almost wholly In preparing
for publication works based upon the re-
potts of agricultural experiment stations
and other institutions for agricultural
l inn1lrv in fhn Ifnitn StnfnS and fApatUp
countries. The secretary, In his report for
1898, called attention to the fact that the
appropriations made for the support of the
experiment stations throughout the union
were the only moneys taken out Of the
national treasury by an act Of con-
federal authorities was required.
Responding TO this suggestion
| the Fifty-third congress in making its ap-
preparation for the department for the
present fiscal year provided that the secre-
tary of agriculture shall prescribe the
form OF annual financial statement re-
quired by section 3 Of said act of March 2,
lSS7, shall ascertain whether the expendi-
lures under the appropriation hereby made
are in accordance with the provision OF
said act and shall make report thereon to
ongress. The best source of the ~statisti-
clan OF the department Of agriculture is
| the ascertainment by diligence and care OF
the actual and real conditions favorable
| or unfavorablc Of the farmers and farms Of
| the country. and to the causes which pro-
luce these conditions, to the end that the
facts ascertained may guide their intelli
gent treatment.
In obedience to this law the department
Of agriculture Immediately sent blank
forms of expense account to each station
and PROPOSE in addition to make. through
trusted experts, systematic examination
Of the several stations during the year for
the purpose OF acquiring by personal in
v~estigation the detailed Information neces-
! sary TO enable the secretary of agriculture
to make, rs the statute provides. a salts
factory report to congress. The boards of
managements of the several sta
tions, with great ~alacrity and cordiality.
have approved the amendment to the law
providing this supervision Of their ex
penditures, anticipating that 1t will in
crease the efficiency OF the stations and
protect their directors ard managers from
loose charges concerning their use of pub
lie funds. besides bringing the department
Of agriculture into closer and more conf
Dental relations with the experimental
largely increasing the usefulness to the az
riculture OF the country.
Acting upon recommendations con-
tanned in he report of 1913, congress ap-
propriated $40, 600 70 enable the secretary
" agriculture 10 investigate and
r~Crt upon the nutritive value Of
various articles and commodities used for
human food. with special attention TO
wholesome and edible r2tions less waste
full and moro economical than those In
common use" Under this appropriation
the department has prepared and now has
nearly ready for distribution an elementary
discussion OF t~he.nutritive value and recu-
mary economy Of fool. When we consider
thatfully one-half Of all the money earned
| INV the yaOa cnruers If tha cfvflixad worId NJ
and utility Of such an investigation Is APP
parent. The department expended In the
fiscal year 1892, ,a5i,so0.56 and
out OF TINT sum the total
amount expended IN scientific research