Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-12-08
ADVANCES IN FARMING.
Varied and Useful Work OF the
Agricultural Department.
FOREIGN FRUITS GROWN HERE.

FOREIGN FRUITS GROWN HERE.
smyrna Figs introduced on Pacific
Coast with Marked success-Trop-
IcaI Products Now Imported which
Can he RaIsed In our New Possess
sions-Iptrods sctioa of New Plants.
The annual report OF Secretary VII.
son summarizes an immense amount
of valuable work done by the agricul.
tural department In Washington dur
Ing the past year He comments par
ticularly on the successful extension
of the weather bureau service around
the Caribbean sea, giving timely storm
warnings TO tie vessels OF the navy
and merchant marine, says the Phlla.
delphia Public Ledger.
The division OF entomology has done
valuable work this year IN showing
fruit growers on the Pacific coast the
proper method OF fertlliz!ng Smyrna
figs 1t Is believed that In a few years
the Pacific coast Will be able to produce
as fine tgs as are now imported from
the Mediterranean.
The department has gathered much
Information regarding the plants which
supply india rubber and gutta pcrcha
and expects, during the coming year,
to locate In our island possessions
zones suitable for the culture OF these
plants. The United States now Inn
ports about $4,000 worth OF rub
Der annually, and II Is thought that Il
large proportion Of this supply can be
raised In our new island possessions.
The same Is true OF Egyptian cotton,
OF which we import S5,GO0OO worth
annually. while he thinks that 5000
0OO,0O0 worth Of tropical products
all be raised In Porto Rico. Hawaii aud
the Philippines.
Much work has been done In the
hyhrldiz!ng OF grains to secure varie.
ties which viii resist drought rust
and cold. The same methods are be-
Ing nscd to produce hardy orange trees
and sea island cotton. which Will be
immune to the fungus disease now
attacking that staple
Practical forestry work Is being done
on large scale among the lumbcrmen
of several states.
Irrigation work In the west has been
carried on. and much aikali land has
been reclaimed. The secretary's recon-
mendatiOns In this line include irriga-
tion experiments in the east and south
outside of the arid region. He thinks
that congressional action also may be
necessary IN the west on this subject
Of water rights and reservoir rights.
The experiment station work OF the
department has been extended to Alas.
ka and should be extended to Hawaii,
Porto Rico and the Philippines. 50 that
they may be enabled TO supply the
United States with the tropical prod
ucts OF which our !mportatIonS are
now 5000, 900 900 annually.
Extensive experiments are baIHg car
ried on IN road construction, IN co.
operation with the local authorities OF
the several states, including the huIld.
Ing OF sample roads from the mate
rials found In different localities and
the laying OF steel track wagon roads.
The third year of experimentation
with hog cholera shows that from IS
TO so per cent OF the hogs injected
with serum are saved.
The secretary strongly recommends
more rigid inspection Of our export
dairy products to counteraCt the injury
that has been done to the trade by un-
scrupuious dealers in the past.
Regarding seed distribution. the sec
retary says that there Is no need for
the department to come into competi.
t!on with the sales of seedsmen, but
that there Is room for valuable work
In the collection and distribution of
such foreign seeds and plants rs are
adapted TO the United States. but
would not be secured By private enter.
prise.
Tea growing experiments In South
Carolina are commended. and be notes
that 1900 pounds Of good tea were
raised In the gardens at Sunmcrvillc
In the last season.
Turkestan alfalfa. Introduced by the
department. has been found n valuable
forage plant In the northwest for re.
sisting both cold and drought. Its intro
duction. 1t Is said. probably will add
millions OF dollars 10 the annual hay
product Of the country.
4 valuable quality OF rice has been
Introduced from Japan. 1t is superior
TO the domestic product. and should IL
succeed in Louisiana hundreds of thou.
sands Of dollars will be added yearly
to the rice growing Industry. The sec.
tetary asks for $4,000 to prosecute
technical and scientific investigation of
the Pan-American congress.