The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-05


in September and October of the present
year resulted in OBTAINING safely in port
2.305 vessels, valued at s362S3,9l3 laden
with cargoes of probably still greater
value. What is much more important
and gratifying is that many hNman lives
on these ships were also undoubtedly
saved.
Bureau of Animal Industry.
The appropriation TO the bureau of
animal industry was ss5O,O0O and the ex-
pendltures for the year were only $780,
1921, thus leaving unexpended $354,570.76.
The inspection Of beef animals for ex-
port and interstate trade has been con-
tlnued. and 12,944,O56 head were inspected
during the year at a cost OF 1& cents
per head, against 4%4 cents for 1898. The
amount OF pork microsc0pically examined
was 35, 437. 937 pounds, against 20677 40
pounds in the preceding year. The cost
of this inspection has been diminished
from S% cents per head in 1898 TO 6la cents
in 1894. The expense of inspecting the
pork sold i'm 1894 to Germany and France
by the United States was $SS,922 10. The
quantity inspected was greater by 16,
100000 pounds than during the preceding
year, when the cost of such inspection
was SIP, 1867, OPS The secretary recon-
mIcroscopical inspection of export and
interstate meat be so amended as to
compel owners Of the meat inspected to
pay the cost Of such inspection, and
call attention to the arguments presented
In his report in support Of this recon-
mendation.
The live beef cattle exported and tagged
during the year numbered 363,535. This
Is an increase Of 69.533 head over the
previous year. The sanitary inspection
or cattle shipped to Europe has cost an
average of 10% cents for each animal,
and the cost of inspecting southern cattle
and the disinfection of cars and stock
yards averages 81 cents an animal
The scientific inquiries of the bureau Of
animal industry have progressed stead
lily during the year. Much tuberculin and
mallein have been furnished TO state
authorities for use in the agricultural
colleges and experiment stations for the
treatment of tuberculosis and CHAMBERS.
Quite recently this department has pub
lished the results of its Investigations of
bovine tuberculosis, and its researches will
be vigorously continued. Certain herds in
the District Of Columbia will be thorough
ly Inspected, and will probably supply
adequate scope for the department TO in
diligently prosecute it's scientific work
and furnish sufficient material for pur-
poses Of Illustration, description and
definition
The sterilization Of milk suspected of
containing the bacilli of tuberculosis has
been, during the year. very thoroughly
Il
chief Of the bureau, and given general
circulation throughout the country.
Experiment stations.
The Office of experiment stations. which
is 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-
ports of agricultural experiment stations
~.
quiry in the United Safes and foreign
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 act of con-
gress for which no accounting to federal
authorities was required. Responding to
this suggestion the Flfty-third congress,
in making the appropriation for the de-
partment for the preSte fiscal year, pro-
Vided that the secretary of agriculture
shall prescribe the form Of annual finan-
cial statement required by sec. 3 of said
act of March q. 1897. shall ascertain
whether the expenditures under the appro-
priaton here made arc in accordance with
the provisions OF said act and shall make
report thereon to congress.
The best service Of the statistician Of
the department Of agriculture is the
ascertaining by dilgegce and care of the
actual and real conditions, favorable or
unfavorab,e, 10 the farmers IF the cOun-
try. and TO seek the causes which produce
these conditions to IN end that the facts
ascertained may guide their intelligent
treatment
In obedience to this ,aw. the department
Of agriculture immedA ely sent out blank
forms Of expense - M to each station
and proposes in addition 20 make through
trusted experts, systematic examination of
he ST Oh
the purpose Of scqulr ng by persona, inves-
tigation the detailed ilf0rmation necessary
10 enable the secretary Of agriculture to
make. as the statute provides, satisfac-
tory report to congress. The boards of
management Of the several stations. with
great alacrity and C1rdiality, have approved
the amendments 10 the law, providing for
This supervision of their expenditures. an
,icipating that ii wiz increase the efficiency
IF the stations and protect their directors
and managers from loose charges concern
ing their use of pubic funds, besides
bringing the department Of agriculture into
c,oser and more confidential relations with
the experimental, stations. and through
their joint service largely increasing
their usefulness to agriculture Of the cOun-
try.
Acting upon a recommendation contained
in the report Of 1898, congress appropriated
1000 ''to enable the secretary Of agricul-
ture 10 investigate and report upon the
nutritive value of the various articles and
commodities used for human food, with
special suggestion Of full. Wholesome and
edible r3tiOns ,ess wasteful and more eco
nomical than those in common use" I'M
der this appropriation the department has
prepared. and now has near.y ready for
distribution, an elementary discussion of
the nutrtive value and pecuniary economy
Of food. When we consider that fully one
half of all the money earned by the wage
earners of the civilized word is expended
by them for food the importance and util-
ity Of such an investigation is apparent.
The department expended in the fiscal
year 1892, $2,354, 500 IS. and out of that sum
the total amount expended in scientific re-
searches was 45.6 per cent. But in the
year ending June go 1894, out Of total eX-
penditure of 81 .945 9SS SO. the department
applied SIS per cent. Of that sum to scien-
tifc work and investigation. 1t is, there
fore very cllinly observable that the
economies which have been practiced in the
administration Of the department have not
been at the expense Of scientific research.
Documents and Seeds.
The recommendation contained In the re-
port Of the secretary for 1898, that the
vicious system Of promiscuous free distri-
button Of its departmental documents be
abandoned. is again urged. These publica-
tions may well be furnished without cost to
public libraries. educational Institutions and
the officers and libraries of states and of
the federal government But from all in
dividuals applying for them. price cover
ing the cost of the document asked for,