Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-12-14

ing ~. % per cent. OF American exports o
every description, and the United King don
OF Great Britain took more than ffty-foul
per cent Of all farm products finding for
eign markets.
The Department of Agriculture has IN
dertaken during the year two new and i'm
portant lines OF research. The first relates
TO grasses and forage plants, with the pur-
pose OF instructing and fanilariztng th<
people as TO the distinctive grasses OF the
United States. and teaching them how t
! intro luce valuable foreign forage plant:
which may be adapted TO this country
The second relates TO agricultural sol
and crop production, involving tn,
analyses OF samples OF soils from al
sections of the American Union. 20 demon
strate their adaptability TO particular plant!
| and crops. Mechanical analyses of soil!
| may be OF such inestimable utility that II 4
! foremost in the new lines OF agricultural re
| search, and the Secretary therefore recon-
mends that division having it in charge bt
perma uently established in the department.
| Acting upon recommendation contained
| in the report of 1898, Congress appropriated
| so. 900 ito enable the Secretary OF Ayricul-
ture to investigate AMI report upon the nu'
| tritive value OF the various articles ami COM
moiities used for human food, with special
suggestion Of full. wholesome and edible
| rations less wasteful and more economical
| than those in common use"
Under this appropriation the department
! mas prepared ana now mas Ee3ly lux
! distribution an elementary discussion OF the
nutritive value and pecuniary eco omy OF
! food. When we consider that fully one
| half Of all the money earned by the wage
earners of the civilized world is expended by
them for food, the importance ard utility
| OF such an investigation is apparent.
| The department expended in the fiscal
year 1892, g. 354, 500. Sc ; and out of that sum
the total amount expended in scientific re-
search was 456 per cent. But in the year
ending June 80. 1894. out Of total expendi-
ture of 81. 948. 98S. SO, the department APP
| piled SIS per cent. of that sum TO scientific
work and Investigation. 1t IS, therefore,
very plainly observable that the economies
which have been practiced in the admins
tration of the department have not been at
the expense of scientific research.
The recommendation contained in the re-
port OF the Secretary for 1898, that the
! vicious system of free distribution OF its de-
partment documents be abandoned is again
urged. These publications may well be fur
nished without cost to public libraries, edu-
cational institutions and the officers and Ii
| braries OF States an 1 of the Federal Govern
ment. But from all individuals applying
! for them a price covering the cost of the
| document asked for should be required.
| Thus the publications and doc
| uments would be secured by those
VINO really desire them for proper purposes.
! Half million OF copies fthe report of the
|
| triBution at an annual cost OF about $500,
| 600. Large numbers OF them are cum
| boring store rooms at the Capitol and the
shelves of secondhand book stores through
| out the country. All this labor and waste
might be avoided if the recommendations of
| the Secretary were adopted.
| The Secretary also again recommends that
! the gratuitOus distribution or seeds cease
| and that no money be appropriated for that
| purpose, except to experiment stations. He
| reiterates the reasons given in his report for
| 1898 for disseminating this unjustifiable Sra-
| tutty, and [ fully concur in the conclusions
| which he has reached.
further important utility in agricultural
statistics Is found in their eiucidation OF the
relation of the supply Of farm products to
| the demand for them in the markets OF the
| United States and of the world.
1t is deemed possible that an agricultural
| census may be taken each year through the
agents OF the statistical division Of the de-
partment. Such q course is commended for
trial by the chief of that division. Its scope
would be:
% The area under each of the more i'm
pOrtant crops.
(2) The aggregate products Of each OF
such crops.
(3) The quantity of wheat and corn in the
hands of farmers at q date after the spring
soWings and paintings and before the begin
ming of harvest; and also the quantity OF
cotton and tobacco remaining in the hands
of planters. either at the same date or at
some other designated time.
The cost of the work is estimated at $780,,
600.
Owing to the peculiar quality of the Stats
tician'5 work and the natural and acquired
fitness necessary to its successful pr0s9cu-
ton, the Secretary of Agriculture expresses
the opinion that every person employed in
gathering statistics under the chief or that
division should be admitted to that service
,1rolyr FLOR 1J,Vo hoI iva
cessfuI examination at tho hands Of the
United States Civil Service Commission.
This has lei him to call for such examina-
ton of candidates for the position of assist
ant statistic1uns and also OF candidates for
chief Of sections in that division.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The advantages to the public service Of an
adherence to the principles Of civil service
reform are constantly ore apparent, and
nothing is SO encouraging to those in OIL
cial life VINO honestly desr g good govern
ment as the increasing Apr eciation by our
people of these advantages. A vast MAORI
ty of the voters Of the land are ready
to Insist that the time and attention of those
they select to perform for them important
public duties, should not ba distracted by
doing out minor offices, and they are grow
ing to be unanimous in regarding party or
ganization as something that should be
used in establishing party principles inst cad
CT debating the distribution of public places
as rewards OF partisan activity.
Numerous additional. offices and places
have lately been brought within CivilSorvice
rules and regulations. AMI some others will
probably soon be included.
The report Of the Commissioners will be
submitted to the Congress, aud [ invite
careful attention to the recon mendations it
contains.
NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH.
am entirely convinced that we ought not
TO be longer without a National Board Of
Health, or National Health Officer charged
with no other duties than such as pertain
to the protection of our country from the in
vasion of pestilence and disease. This would
involve the establishment, by such board or
officer, of proper quarantine precautions, or
the necessary aid and counsel to local au-
thOrities On the subject, prompt advice and
assistance to local boards Of health
or health officers in the suppression OF
contagious disease, and in cases
where there are no suchlocal boards or OFF,
GERS, the immediate direction by the Ma
tional Board or officer of measures of sup
preston, constant and authentic infOrma-
ton concerning the health OF foreign coun-
tries and all parts OF our own country as
related to contagious diseases, and consid-
GRAFTON OF regulations to be enforced in for
eign ports TO prevent the introduction of
contagion iato our cities, and the measures
which should be adopted to secure their en-
forcement.
There seems to be at this time decided
inclination to discuss measures of protection
against contagious disease in international
conference, with a view Of adopting means
of mutual assistance. The creation Of such
"a National health establishment would
greatly aid our standing in such conferences
and improve our opportunities to avail our
selves of their benefits.
1 earnestly recommend the Inauguration
of National Board Of Health, or similar
National fundamentally. believing the same
20 be needed precaution against conta-
gIous disease and in the interest Of the safety
and health of our people.
RAILROADS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.
By virtue of a statue OF the United States,
passed in 1888, appointed in July last Hon.
John d. Herman. of the State OF New York,
and Hon. Nicholas E. Worthington, of the
State oil linois, to form with with Hon. Car
VI ~, 3