The Holly chieftain., 1897-11-05
WILSON'S REPORT.
Work and Projects of the Agricultural De-
partmeHt summarized.


WAsHISGroS, Nov. Secretary
Wilson 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 subject, he
says: We are endeavoring to get in
formation 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 inteliigently be brought to this
country to assist in the diversitication
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 ed
ucation in the sciences relating to ag-
ricnl,ure. The agricultural colleges
endowed by congress are educating
along these lines
The secretary recommends an in
crease in the appropriations 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 iInpor-
tant operations at agricultural col
leges before the entire country. so
that the farmers of each state may get
the result of the good work done in
other states He refers 10 the efforts
of the department to extend the for
eign markets for American dairy and
live stock products, which he thinks
can he done by making the foreigners
familiar with them. He says the poll
icy 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 produce
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 parailine oil. in which in
fccted cattle are dipped. The exten-
sion of the meat inspection work to
abattoirs engaged in interstate bust
ness is recommended, as is the contin-
uance of the inspection of export ami
mails. in order To maintain the market
which has been secured for them in
other countries.
The secretary criticises the present
system of crop reporting. lie says IL
is extremely cum bersome, and that in
stead OF conducting to completeness
and accuracy. 1t would appear, from
the report of the statisticiaD. to in
some measure defeat its own object by
its own unwieldincss and by the fact
that the indefinite multiplication of
crop reporters wcakens the sense of in
dividual responsibility. II strongly
favor the making of some pccuniary
acknow lcdgment of the service of a
carefully ) selected corps of correspond
ents, selected mainly in the principal
agricultural states. and that reliance
be placed upon the state statistical
agents for information regarding the
states agricultural Importance" lie
recommends the employment of prin
cipal statistical agent in each state.