Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-12-07
REPORT BY WILSON.
or AGRICULTURE
REVIEWS HIS YEARS WORK.

REVIEWS HIS SEAn
Declare There Has Been Progress IN
the Department Tree-PlantlnS anu
Road Building Among Reforms-Ine
Weather Service Has Been Extendeu'
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson II, mas
made his annual report for 1892. ~,
salient points in connection with eacn
bnreau are briefly outlined as foIoWs'
Weather Bureau-The extension OF tne
weather bureau service around the Calio
bean Sea has been abundantly success
full
Division of Chemistry-Thisd division IS
becoming necessity to every department
of the Government An interesting IN
ouiry has been made into the change
which takes place in the composltlon "
grains grown repeatedly on the same SOIL.
Division of Entomology Since II.
Howard has shown owners OF smyrna ns
trees on the Pacific coast how TO get tne
fruit fortified, there is good reason 10
believe that in a few years we snail oo-
tain our fine figs from that locality.
Division of BotaDy-The department Is
gathering information regarding the NE
history of the plants that supply COM
merce with India rubber and guttapercna'
and should Congress be pleased TO give
direction, it will seek the plant zones In
our island possessions where these COM
modities may be produced
Biological Suryey-Plants and animals
wi thpV
most at home. The biological survey is
endeavoring to find the most congenlai
conditions for our plants and animals.
Division of Vegetable Physiology and
Pathology-The hybridizing of grains is
being conducted by the division of vege-
table physiology and pathology with
view to securing varieties lrust-reslstlng,
drought-resisting and cold-resisting) bet
ter suited to our varied soils and eli
mates.
Division of Pomology-This division
continues to experiment in many locall-
ties throughout the country with fruit
bearing trees, plants and vines. For ex-
ample, 119 varieties Of the finer table
grapes of Europe have been grated on
Phylloxera resistant American stocks and
sent to North Carolina and Florida.
Division of Forestry-The division of
forestry is introducing practical and pay
ing forestry on a large scale among lum-
bermen and extensive experimentation In
tree planting is being conducted with Co
operation on the part of those interested
IN woodcraft in several States.
Division of Soils-The irrigation farm
err of the West is being helped by the
mapping and extending Investigation OF
alkali soils and by the reclamation of in
jured or abandoned land, many acres of
which have become sterile drought the
injudicious use Of water.
Division Of Agrostology-C Cropping re-
duces the organic material in the soil.
Long-continued cropping renders the soil
unproductive. Grasses and legumes are
the best agencies for restoring this or
ganic matter. The division of agrostol-
ogy is experimenting with home and for
eign grasses and legumes.
Office of Experiment Stations
GRAFTON between the department and the
experiment stations becomes closer every
year. Assistance from the States is in
creasing and the farmers of the several
States are approaching their station work
more and more Experimentation in
Alaska has begun with congressional aid.
Office of Public Road Inquiries
is great interest at the present time in
the public highways of the country. Elk
tensive experimentation is being conduct
ed by the department in cooperation with
local authorities in building sample roads
from the materials found in different To-
calities, and in the laying of steel track.
Division of Publications-Dur the
year COB publications were issued and
over 100000 copies distributed among
the people.
Section of Foreign Manifestations
rapid growth of American commerce in
all parts Of the world. We continue to
sell raw material to foreign countries
from which they manufacture high-sell-
ing articles.
Bureau of Animal Industry-The work
of this bureau increases rapidly. Meat
inspection was conducted last year at 1873
abattoirs in fortyone cities. The ante
norton inspections were 53,223,176,
while the number in 1892 was 5000, 459.
The third year of experimentation with
hog cholera shows that from Is to 80 per
cent of hogs injected with serum are
saved.
Division of Statistics Fifty thousand
crop reporters keep the division of statis-
tics informed regarding the condition of
our staple crops and every effort is be-
ing made to promptly give the people the
facts as they are found.
Gardens and Grounds-The grounds of
the department and it's extensive green
houses serve useful purpose. more than