Griggs courier., 1898-12-08
wilson on AGRICULTURE
Acquisition Of New Territory Opens
Up New Responsibilities for
His Department.
WANTS An EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION.
Domestic Problems ana our Axricul-
tural Relations I'm Foreign Fields
Reviewed-Practi of Ex-
porting Dairy Products Qaestfoned
-Other Topics Discussed.

Washington. Dec. 2. Secretary of
Agriculture James Wilson in his annual
report, In addition to discussing do
mestic problems, reviews our agricul-
tural relations in foreign fields. He
calls for an emergency appropriation
Of lump sum for future requirements
that cannot all be anticipated specitical-
ly. Discussing agricultural resources
in our new island acquisitions, Secre-
tary Wilson says:
Need Urgent Attention.
I'm the territories recently brought under
the control Of the United States govern
ment the agricultural interests urgently
call for attention by this department. Ha-
waii and the West Indian Islands depend
upon their agricultural productions. It be-
hooves the department.. therefore. to place
itself at the earliest moment possible IN
q position to extend to the agriculturists
of those territories which have or may
come under the United States flag the serv-
ices and benefits which it renders to the
farmers Of the United States.
Exporting Dairy Products.
On the practicability Of exporting dairy
products the secretary says that, owing
to better home demand, 1t is not CONNER
cially profitable to send butter to Europe
just now, as the home demand at present
absorbs the supply. Whenever our home
supply of finest butter exceeds the home
demand, the secretary says. it can be profit
ably sent to both France and Germany.
The American farmer is now selling cheap
grains and mill feeds to the European
dairymen, who meet us in European mar
kets with products made from raw mate
rial furnished by US. But there is reason
to believe that there is growing tendency
toward the consumption of grains and mill
feeds at home and exporting the products
Of skill and intelligence. The trade In
American farm products is growing IN the
China seas, and, In order that markets
may be opened up In japan, China and 9TH
er countries Of the Pacific ocean. an agent
is now in that region establishing agencies.
Inspection for Exports.
The secretary recommends the extension
and adoption Of the provisions Of the law
regarding the inspection and certification
of meats and meat products for export. so
as to make them apply to butter and cheese.
The brands ''pure butter and 'full cream
cheese should then be affixed by United
States inspectors to such products as come
up to the required standard OF quality.
This would place the good butter and
under the Identifying label and guaranty
Of the United States government.
Nature Teaching in Schools.
The secretary enlarges upon the need of
nature teaching in the common schools.
He says that there Is growing interest in
education that relates to production, and
all classes of intelligent people favor it.
More knowledge by the farmer Of what he
deals with every day would enable him to
control conditions. produce more from an
acre and contribute more to the general
welfare.
With the exception Of the very few per-
sons who have found their way into our
r{r,,1k no n1, tow .
people has not been designed to prepare
them for producing from the soil. Nothing
is being done in most of the common
schools of the states to cultivate a taste
and lead the mind to inquire into and store
up facts regarding nature, so that the
young farmer may be directed into the path
that leads to education concerning his fu-
ture life work. The teacher should be ed
ucated for this work.
Various Features.
Quick and timely information has been
gained of foreign markets under the di-
rection Of Chief Hitchcock, and our knowl-
edge Of the islands of the Caribbean and
China seas largely increased. Our foreign
trade in agricultural products is shown
to be over two-thirds Of our domestic ex-
ports and is steadily growing. while the
production Of field products introduced
from foreign countries is rapidly increas-
ing, causing corresponding decrease in
agricultural imports. The Alaskan inte-
rior will be explored next summer to learn
its capacity to support population. while
coastal resources already have been deter
mined