Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-11-06
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Secretary Wilson's Annual Report to the |
President-Thr Work and Projects OF
the Agricultural Department sumInar-
lied Necessity for American Agents
Abroad.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 80. Secretary VIII |
son has presented his report to the
president reviewing the operations of
the department Of agriculture for the
past year. The most important recon-
mendation made by him is one that
agents for the department should be
stationed at each of the important
American embassies for the collection
of information OF interest to American
farmers Referring to this sub ject, he
says:
I'VE are endeavoring to get informa-
ton from foreign countries with which
we compete in the markets of the
world regarding crops and prices. We
are also taking steps to ascertain what
crops are grown ON different thermal
lines, so that seeds and plants may in-
telligently be brought to this country
assist in the diversfcation of our crops
anu dHu W tHelr variety.
"There is necessity for American
agents in every foreign country to
which we send representatives who
have hud education in the sciences re.
lating to agriculture. The agricultural
colleges endowed by congress are edu.
eating along these lines"
The secretary re ,ommenls an in
crease i'll the approximations in aid
of the bureau of animal industry, of
the weather bureau and publication
offices. He thinks the department
should be enabled to place the results
of important operations at agricultural
colleges before the entire country, $50
that the farmers Of each state may get
the result OF the good work done in
other states"
lie refers to the efforts Of the depart
ment to extend the foreign markets for
American dairy and livestock products,
which he thinks can be done by max.
ing the foreigners familiar with them.
He says the policy in the future will
be to encourage the introduction of
such seeds as will enable our people to
diversity their crops and keep money
at home that is now sent abroad to buy
what the United States should pro,
duce."
Mr.. Wilson says the department will
continue its pioneer work in the en-
couragement of the sugar beet, and ex-
presses the opinion that the country
Will, within few years, raise all the
sugar it requires. He expresses the
opinion that nearly all Of the S}5 900.
700 sent abroad last year for sugar,
hides, fruits, wines animals, rice, flax,
hemp, cheese, wheat, barley, BEANS
eggs and silk might have been kept at
home. lie also thinks the United
States should grow its own chicory,
castor beans, lavender, licorice mus.
tard, opium, etc, With reference to
horses, the secretary says:
"Ihe American farmer can grow
horses as cheaply as he can grow cat
tie. We have heavy and profitable
| export trade in cattle, and may hauo
export trade equally heavy in horses.
The department is gathering facts re-
garding our horse industries and the
requirements of purchasers abroad, SC
that our farmers can learn what for
eign buyers demand
The most important work in which
the animal industry bureau has been
engaged is he says, that looking to the
destruction of the cattle tick, for which
it is believed that an agent has
been found in Il petroleum product
known as paratline Oil, in which
infected cattle are dipped. The ex.
tension of the meat inspection work to
nbattoils engaged in interstate busi-
ness is recommended as is the con.
tinuance of the inspection of export
animals, in order to maintain the mar
ket which has been secured for them in
other countries
The secretary criticises the present
system of crop reporting. He says it is
extremely cumbersome, aud that in
stead of conducting to completeness and
accuracy, it would appear, from the re-
port of the statistican, to in some
measure defeat its own object by its
own unwieldiness and by the fact that
the indefinite multiplication of crop re-
porters weakens the sense of individual
responsibility.
II strongly favor the making of some
pecuniary acknowledgement of the serv-
ice of a carefully-selected corps of cor
respondents, selected mainly in the
principal agricultural states, and that
reliance be placed upon the state sta
tistical agents for information regard.
ing the states of minor agricultural
Importance"
He recommends the employment of
a principal statistical agent in each
state.