Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-11-12
SECRETARY WILSON'S WORK.
A Years. Operations of the Ayr,
cultural Department.,

Secretary Wilson has presented his re-
port to the President reviewing the opera
tiOns OF the Department of Agriculture
for the past year. The most important
recommendation made by him is one that
agents for the department. should he sta.
toned at each of our more important
American embassies for the collection OF
information of interest to American farm
ers. Referring TO this subject, he says.
I'VE are ~cndeavOring to get Information
from foreign countries with which We
compete in the markets OF tho world, re-
sarding crops and prices. We arc alst
taking steps TO ascertain what crops arr
grown on different thermal lines so that
seeds and plants may i%ntelligently III
brought to this country Ia assist in tho
dlversiflcdtion of our crops and add to
their variety. There is necessity fol
American agents in every foreign coun
try to which we send representatives, who
have Ind education in the sciences relat.
ing to agriculture. The agricultural col.
leges endowed by Congress are educating
along these lines"
The Secretary refers to the efforts Of
the department to extend the foreign mar
kets for our dairy and live stock products
which he thinks can he done by making
the foreigners familiar with them. In
stead of sending abroad for seeds he says
the policy i'll the future will be ito en-
courage the introduction Of such sceds
as will enable IL people 10 diversity
their crops and keep money at home that
is now sent abroad to buy what the Unit
cd States should produce"
MIR. Wilson says the department will
continue its pioneer work i'll the cncour-
agcment of the sugar beet AND expresses
the opinion that the country will within
II few years raise all the sugar it requires.
He expresses the opinion that nearly all
of the $3.50. OOO. 1000 sent abroad last year
for sugar, hides, fruits, wines, asimals,
rice, flax, hemp. cheese. wheat. barley,
beans. eggs and silk might have becn kept
at home. He also thinks The United
States should grow their own chicory, cas-.
tor beans, lavender, l%icorice, mustard,
opium. etc.
With reference to horses the Secretary
says: "The American farmer can grow
horses as chcaply as he can grow cattle.
We have IL heavy and profitable export
trade in cattle and may have al export
trade equally heavy and profitable in
horses. The department is gathering
facts regarding our horse industry ut
home and the requirements of purchasers
abroad. so that IL farmers can learn
what foreign 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 becn found in a pctrole-
nm product known as para1lin oil, in which
infected cattle are dipped.
The extension of the meat inspection to
abottoirs engaged in interstate business
is recommended. as is the continuance Of
the inspection of export animals in order
to maintain the market which has been
secured for them in other countries.
The Secretary criticiscs the present sys-
TEN of crop reporting. He says it is eX-
trcmely cumbersome. He recommends the
employment of Il principal statisticalagcnt
in each State.