Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-11-04
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Report of Secretary Wilson Presents
ed to the President.


Washington, Oct. 30.-Secretary Wilson
has presented his report to the president
reviewing the operations Of the depart
ment of agriculture for the past year. The
most important recommendation made by
him is one that agents for the department
should be stationed at each of our more
important American embassies for the col
lection of information of interest to Amer
lean farmers. Referring to this subject, he
says: I'VE are endeavoring to get infor-
nation from foreign countries, with whom
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 intelligently be
brought to this country to assist in the
diversifcation of our crops and add to their
variety. There is necessity for American
agents in every foreign country to which
We send representatives who have had edu-
cation in the sciences relating to agri-
culture. The agricultural colleges endowed
by congress are educating along these
lines"
The secretary recommends an increase
in the appropriations in aid of bureau of
animal industry, of the weather bureau
and publication Offices. He thinks the de-
partment should be enabled to place the
result of important operations at agri-
cultural colleges before the entire country,
80 that the farmers of each state may
get the result of the good work done in
other states"
He refers to the efforts of the depart
ment to extend the foreign markets for
our dairy and live stock products, which
he thinks can be done by making the for
eigners familiar with them Instead of
sending abroad for seeds, he says the pol
icy in the future will be ito 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 produce"
Mr. Wilson says the department will
continue its pioneer work in the encourage
ment of the sugar beet, and expresses the
opinion that the country will within a few
years raise all the sugar it requires. He
expresses the opinion that nearly all of the
$685., Zoo 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.
He also thinks the United States should
grow it's own chicory, castor beans, Law
ender, licorice, mustard, opium, etc.
With reference to horses, the secretary
says: 1.-The American farmer can grow
horses as cheaply as he can grow cattle;
we have a heavy and profitable export
trade in cattle, and may have an export
trade equally heavy and profitable in
horses. The department is gathering facts
regarding our horse industry at home, and
the requirements of purchasers abroad, SO
that our 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 1t is believed
that an agent has been found in q pc
troleum product known as paraffin oil, in
which infected cattle are dipped.
The extension of the meat inspection
work to abbatoirs engaged in interstate
business is recommended, as is the continu-
ance of the inspection of export animals, in
order to maintain the markets which have
been secured for them in other countries.
The secretary criticises the present sys-
tenn of crop reporting. He says it is ex-
tremely cumbersome, and that instead OF
conducting to completeness and accuracy
it would appear from the report of the stats.
tician to in some measure defeat it's own
h object, by it's own unwieldyness and by the
fact that the indefinite multiplication OF
crop reporters weakens the sense of in.
dividual responsibility. He strongly IA
vors the making of some pecuniary &C.
acknowledgement of the service of care.
fully selected corps of correspondents, Sc.
lected mainly in the principal agricultural
states, and that reliance be placed upor
the state statistical agents for informa'
ton regarding the states of minor agri'
cultural Importance. He recommends the
employment of principal statistical agent
in each