The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-02
Wilson on Our
Products.
SOME SUGGESTIONS
Agricultural Conditions of
Our New Possessions.

Washington, Dec 1--Secretary of
Agriculture James Wilson, in his an
nual report made public tonight. in ad~
dition to discussing domestic problems,
reviews our agricultural relations i'll
foreign fields.
He calls for an emergency approprI-
alton Of a lump sum for future require
ments that cannot all be anticipated
specifically. Exploration by scientists
of our territorial acquisitions and the
sudden appearance Of pests are some
of these possible emergencies.
Discussing the resources in our own
new island acquisitions Secretary Will
son says Hawaii and the West Indian
islands depend almost exclusively for
their prosperity upon their agricultlw-
al productions. 1t behoOves the depart
ment, therefore to place itself at the
earliest moment possible in d position
to extend to the agriculturists of these
territories which have or may come
under the United States flag. the SER
vices and benefits which it renders to
the farmers of the United States. The
increased trade relations which may be
looked for between the United States
and its insular dependencies, more
over, render the conditions, character
and extent Of their production matters
OF profound interest TO the people of
the United States.
In the interest of our own agricul-
ture, not only must the agricultural
resources of those islands be studied
closely and intelligently, but the dan
gers which threaten agriculture in
these territories in the form of plant
diseases or insect pests, must be made
the subject of special investigation with
a view to provide agriculture there
with preventive or remedial agencies,
and also to obtain our own agriculture
from the possibility of their introduce
ton into this country.
1t is urgently necessary. therefore.
that congress should as speedily as
possible provide a sufficient fund for
the use of this department in making
such investigations as may be neces-
safy to inquire into the agricultural
resources and conditions in Hawaii.
Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines.
Regarding the probability of ex-
porting dairy products, the secretary
says that it is not profitable to send
butter TO Europe just now, as the home
demand absorbs the supply. The de
parJment sent an agent to Paris to as
certain what encouragement there
would be to ship butter to that port.
ana an agent to Hamburg to ascertain
the facts regarding customs duties. as
well as prohibitions and other decis-
IONS that might meet exporters of but
ter to Germany.
1t was found that no line of steamers
sailing to French ports direct could
furnish refrigerator space, so shipments
could not be made during hot weather
Whenever our home supply of finest
! butter exceeds the home demand. the
I secretary says this can be proftably
be sent TO both France and Germany.
The American farmers are now selling
cheap grains and mill feeds to the
European dairymen who meet us in
European markets with products made
from raw material furnished by US.
But there is reason to believe there
IS growing tendency towards the con
sumption of grains and mill feeds at
home, and exporting the products by
skill and intelligence. The trade in
American farm products is growing in
the China seas, and in order that mar
kets may be opened up in Japan, China
and other countries of the Pacific
ocean, an agent is now in that region
establishing agencies, to which the de-
partment will make trial shipments and
gather all information possible foI
American producer
The secretary recommends the ex-
tension and adoption of the provisions
of the law regarding the inspection and
certidcation of meats and meat pro-
! ducts for export, so as to make them
apply to butter and cheese The brands
| Of pure butter and full cream
cheese" should then be affixed by Unit
ed States inspectors to such products
| as come up to the required standard of
quality. The dairy products of Den
mark and Canada, which are the chief
competitors of the United States in the
ma NJ h.
guaranty of quality from their respec-
| tive Governments.
There is an evident necessity" the
| report says, "for the impression OF
many articles imported from foreign
countries that contain substances in
| furious to the public health. The de-
| partment chemists are doing work
along this line that suggests a more
| comprehensive inquiry. The depart
ment now buys samples for analysis
in the open market. 1t may be neces-
| sary, however, where there is ground
| for suspicion of a necessity for the
| Identification Of some source to open
| packages at ports Of entry, as it is
| proposed in foreign countries to dc
with our exports in certain cases"
| The experimental exports of butter
| by the agricultural department tc
| Great Britain were resumed at the
| opening of the season of 1898 on an en-
| larged scale, and Secretary Wilson
| says a decided gain is evident in the IA
vorable impression made by butter OF
the first quality from the United States
| creaneries.
| Lack of proper attention to economic
chemistry is complained of, and the re-
port says we pay foreign countries
| large sums for coal tar products, fol
| example, while we have skilled chem
! lists, capital and raw material at home
| The secretary enlarges upon the need
! of nature teaching in the common
| schools. He says that there is a