The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-02
FOR OUR NEW COLONIES
Secretary Wilson Asks Congress
for an Appropriation
TO STUDY INSECT PESTS
He Calls Attention to the Necessity OF
the Inspection OF Articles Imported
From Foreign Countries and
Injurious to Public Health.

nual report, mad public tonight, in
addition to discussing domestic prob
lens. reviews our agricultural relations
in foreign fields. He calls for an emer-
gency appropriation Of a lump sum for
future requirements that I'M all be
anticipated specifically. Exploration
by scientists OF territorial acquisitions
and the sudden appearance of pests are
some OF the possible emergencies Dis
cussing agricultural source in our
new island acquisitions. Secretary Will
son says:
In the territories recently brought
under the control of the United States
government agricultural interests ur-
gently call for attention by this depart
ment. Hawaii and the West Indian
islands depend almost exclusively for
their prosperity upon rneir agricultural
productions. IL behooves the depart
ment therefore to place itself at tie
earliest moment possible in a position
to extend to the agriculturists of those
territories which have or may come UNI
der the United States flag the services
n benefits which IL renders 10 the
m of the United States. Thu in
creased trade relations which may be
looked for between the United States
and its insular dependencies. moreover.
render the conditions of agriculture in
the latter and the character and ex-
tent of their productions matters of pro-
found interest To the people of the
United States. In the interest OF our
own agriculture not only must the agri-
cultural resources of these islands then
be studied closely and intelligently, but
the dangers which threaten agriculture
i'm 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 secure our own agriculture
from the possibility Of their introduce
ton to this country. 1t is urgently
necessary, therefore, that congress
should as speedily as possible provide a
fund for the use of this department in
making such Investigations as may he
necessary into the agricultural inter-
ests and conditions in Hawaii. Porto
Rico, Cuba and the Philippines"
Considerable space is devoted to the
question Of exporting dairy products
to Europe. The secretary says that.
owing to a better home demand, IL IL
not commercially profitable TO send
butter to Europe just now as the home
demand at present absorbs the supply.
The trade i'm American farm products
Is growing in the China seas and, in
order that markets may be opened up
in Japan, China and other countries OF
the Pacific ocean, an agent Is now in
hat region establishing agencies, to
which the department will make trial
shipments and gather all Information
possible for the American producer.
The secretary recommends the ex-
tension and adoption of the provisions
of the law regarding the inspection and
certificate of meats and meat products
for export. so as To make them apply to
butter and cheese.
There is evident necessity" the re-
port says, for the inspection of many
articles imported from foreign countries
that contain substances injurious to the
public health. The department chemists
are doing work along this line that
suggests a more comprehensive inquiry.
The department now buys samples for
analysis in the open market. IL may be
necessary, however. where there is
ground for suspicion and a necessity for
the identification of the source, to open
packages at ports of entry, as II is
proposed in foreign countries TO do with
our exports i'm certain cases"
This brief statement is the only ref
erence the secretary makes to the re-
strictive measures adopted by certain
foreign governments respecting our
products.
The secretary enlarges upon the need
Of nature teaching in the common
schools.
The report that the bu-
reau of animal industry has perfected a
dip which takes the fever ticks from
cattle so the can be taken north at
any season: that II has continued ex-
periments with antitoxine serum to pre-
vent and cure hog cholera, and II is
recommended hat this discovery hav-
ing been made by public officials at no
expense. should not be diverted TO pri-
Vate cost. and that the serum manu-
| g,.t,,,a shnplI ha continued under row.
nme control at least for some years
10 come. The Texas fever dipping sta
lions will be established at convenient
points before the next quarantine sea-
son. The results from the black leg
vaccine indicate the percentage of loss
in herds has been reduced from 10 TO 20
per cent. TO less than i per cent. This
indicates that IL generally used II will
tend to eradicate the disease completely.
Detailed figures as 20 microscopic IN
spection of meat are submitted.
The report a y good work has been
lone In hybridiZing the orange and
other citrus plants and in the crossing
OF pineapples. increasing the size and
yigor and greatly improving the flavor.
Observation and forecast weather sta
tions have been established In the m
terror of this country and especially In
the mountain states. The natural life
zones of the United States are being
surveyed and the areas best adapted TO
various crops determined. -Four scien-
tifc explorers OF the department are
abroad getting seeds and plants in Rus
STA, the Mediterranean region. the China
seq and South America. ef-
forts are making to perfect crop stats
tics, and Statistician Hyde has taken
successful measures to preclude inaccu-
rate remature statements of the official
figures.
The Alaskan interior will be explored