Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-30
PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURE
Secretary Wilson Reports Excellent Wcfs for
the Pas Yeat
Fig, uubbcr free. Hardy GTaiu.
Orange, cotton, t.te. Irrigation
Experiments Sew Alfalfa.

Warrington Nov. 29-Thc annual
report u Secretary Wilson nummlrizos
an immense amount OF work done ly
the agricultural department during she
past year
The division of entomology has dlra
valuable work this year IN showing
fruit-groWcrA ON the Pacific coast ,he
proper method OF fyrtlllzinE smyr.h
nrs. u ls believed that ln few y,lt1
tho Pacific coast viii be able To pro-
ducc the line hgs a. are imported ftom
the Mediterranean.
The department, has gathered much
Information regarding the plants which
supply india rubber and gutta pcrcha
and expects during the coming year 10
locate In Our island possessions zones
suitable Tor the culture OF these plants.
The United states now Imports about
100000 worth " rubber annually
and II b. thought that q large portion
VI this supply can be raised In our new
posscf aluuH. The same u true ut
Egyptian cotton. Of which We import
&j0vJU00 worth annually. while he
thinks that &2QO.OQl,OQp worth Of trupl-
cal products which We now import can
BE- raised Ia Porto Rico. Hawaii and
the Philippine.
Much work has been done In the hy.
bridizing Of grahs To secure varieties
which viii resist rought, rust OF cold
The same mothodH are being used 60
produce hardy orange trees ana sea
island cotton. which viii be- Immune 20
the fungus disease now attacking that
staple.
IRRIGATION work In the West has been
carried ON and much nlkall land has
been reclaimed. The tccrctnry'a rec
concentrations In this line include lrti-
gltlon experiments IN the East and
South outside the aria region. lie
thinks congressional action also may
be- necessary In IN" West on the subject
~ water rights ana reservoir sites.
The experiment station work ~ the
department has been extended to
Alaska and has been extended to lin-
wall, Porto Rico AMI the Philippines,
~ that they may be enabled TO supply
| the United States with the tropical prod
ucta, OF which our lmportntionH are
now 500. 900 annually. Extensive
experiments are being carried ON In
road construction IN connection with
the local authorities Of several States,
including the building q sample roadn
from tho materials found In different
localities and laying OF steel track
wagon roads.
The third year Of experimentation
with hog cholera shows that from -
/ to 20 per cent or the hogs Injected with
serum are saved.
The secretary strongly recommends
"a more Tlgld Inspection Of our export
dairy products 10 counterfeit the injury
| that has been done 10 this trade by
| interruptions dealers IN the past.
| Regarding SEED distribution the sec
rotary says there Is no need for the
/ department TO come into competition
] with the sales Of the seedsmcn, hut
! that there II room FOR valuable work
] in the collection and distribution of
/ such foreign seeds and plants a. are
| adapted 10 this country but would not
/ be secured by private enterprise.
Tea growing experiments IN South
| Carolina are commented, and he notes
| that 5000 pounds OF good tea We're
| raised IN the gardens at summcrvlllc In
| the past season
| Turkestnn alfalfa introduced by the
department has been found valuable
| forage plant IN the Northwest for re-
slstancr To both cold aud drought. Its
| Introduction Il II said probably VIII add
| millions OF dollars TO the annual hay
| product Of the country.
A valuable quality OF rice has been
| introduced from Japan. II IL superior
| 10 the domestic product and should II
succeed In Louisiana hundreds Of thou
sands of dollars will be added yearly 10
the rice growing Industry.
The secretary asks for 10000 to proa-
ccute q technical and scieutinc investi-
CATION OF native drug plants In CO.
operation with the pan-Amcrican con-
| grcss,