The evening times., 1898-11-28
THE DEPARTMENT.
Of AGRICULTURE
-
Probable Points of Secretary
Wilson's Report.
PREVENTION OF DISEASES
Growth of New Indus tries and Open
ing Of New Markets.
Report Will Touch on Reet Sugar
Cultiyation-Sp Subjects
of investigation.

| The annual reports of the various Cabi-
net officers have been late in making their
appearance this year-many weeks later
than usual. From these reports the
President largely constructs his annual
| message to Congress. The Secretary of
| Agriculture in common with other heads
of departments, has held his report weeks
past the usual time. Just what it will
| contain, of course, has not been an
| nounced, nor will it be until the report
is given out for publication. A large
amount of work has been undertaken, and
| in many instances pushed to definite re-
suits, by the Department of Agriculture
| in the last year, and the Secretary will
refer to the work done, as well as make
recommendations for the ensuing year.
The report will touch on the beet sugar
| industry and the work which has been
done and is now in progress. More than
| three times the analyses of beets have
been made In the last year than in the
year before, and whatever the final reIa-
tions of this country with her island pos
| sessions. the farmers of the United
States will know just what can be done
| in the way of raising beets for sugar;
where they can be raised most profitabiy
and what profit from them can be expect
ed per acre. The Secretary will deal es-
pecially VIVA the growth of several new
and hemp growing and bulb growing.
While two years ago practically all the
chiccory used In the United States was
! Imported from Belgium, now the entire
product used is grown in this country
The Secretary has sent large numbers of
! Easter lily bulbs TO Southern points of
the country. with a view to having
American Easter lilies, instead of Ber-
muda lilies.
His report will also mention the i'm
proved methods of seed distribution row
in vogue, and the practical field tests OF
seeds made by the Department before
paying seedsmen for them, and the man
ner in which the seedsmen are ''docked'
in case the seeds furnished are not up to
the standard. The seedsmen who fur
nished the seeds for last years distribu-
ton was deprived of several thousand
dollars for furnishing seed not up to the
required and professed standard The
work of agents abroad is important and
will be mentioned; also the advisab ity
Of having a United States representa- We
at foreign embassies TO look after the ag-
ricultural interests OF the country espe-
cialiy The Department has had many
agents in various countries all over the
world, looking up the history and habits
| of all sorts Of new plants which are
thought to be worthy of trial in this coun-
try. special efforts being made to secure
new clovers and other legumes which
Will, perhaps better resist the droughts
of some of the more arid regions of the
United States.
Special attention will be called to the
efforts which have been made toward
widening foreign markets for American
products. such as horses. butter. corn
etc. The experimental expectations OF
butter begun the first of the sea on have
been steadily going on, and transporta-
tion methods between here anu England
for this perishable product have been SO
perfected that butter is now shipped
without loss of time or delay of any sort
which may endanger the quality or char
acter of the product. Now that Porto
Rico belongs to the United States spe-
cial representatives of the Department
will be sent there, to carefully examine
into agricultural and fruit conditions and
the needs of the island, and also to see
what opening there is there for northern
products. Reports received by the De-
partment indicate that the opportunity
to sell creamery butter there is excellent
The Secretary will also cali attention to
the work accomplished by the Bureau of
Animal Industry. Over 5000 cases of
black leg among cattle have been treated
by the department, the remedy, or rath-
er preventive, being efficacious in over
9S per cent of the cases, whereas in herds
of cattle untreated which are affected by
this disease n loss of from 10 to Is per
cent is as a rule experienced The hog
cholera serum has been proved without
doubt TO be highly efficacIous herds
| treated saving nearly So per cent of their
hogs, whereas those untreated lost over
50 per cent. Extended treatment of IA ese
diseases will be carried on in the coming
year. inspection of sailing vessels and
live export animals has been carried on
by the bureau, microscopic inspection of
pork inspection an6 dipping for cattle for
Texas fever, inspection and quarantine
of imported animals, tests of various dips
for sheep scab, etc.
Mention will also be made of the known
and proved adulteration of certain Ger
man wines and other imports from that
country, Investigations having been car
rled on in this line in case any retaliation
Is sought by this country
against the action of Germany, with re-
spect to her discrimination against our
meat and fruit products. The work of
the Weather Bureau, which has for a
number of years been under the Depart
ment OF Agriculture, will also be review
ed, showing the extension of the service
the effectiveness of storm warnings, the
large increase in the danger signals en-
ployed at lake and ocean ports resulting
az NAN VI llNeS, lnG eXten-
sion of the meteorological service and
the study of upper-air currents by means
of improved box kites
Another subject which will be set forth
IS the Importance of the biological sur
feys OF the department. which have been
conducted to ascertain the life zones of
various species of plants and animals
Another Is the special chemical investiga-
tons of foods. particularly infants and
inValids foods, taking into consideration
nutrition and digestibility. Mention will
be made of the general work looking to
the proper treatment of fungus or insect
pests; their control or eradication. if pos
sibie, such as the ravages of the Mexican
bnll-Weevil, the gypsy moth. which has
made havoc in New England the Hessian
fly and the chinch bug Attention will be
called to the new line of work undertaken
by the forester of the department which
proposes to supervise large areas of pri-
Vate forest land, with a view TO demon
strat1ng to the owners that forest can be
proiitably cut over for timber and yet
left in such condition as to continue to be
profitable forest holding, instead of use-
less scrub. Applications to have over
million acres of forest land so demon
strated have already been received by
the department.
Attention will also be called to the i'm
portance of the experiment station work
throughout the country. and particularly
the experiments which have been carried
on In Alaska, showing that grain crops
can be Successfully grown in The coast