New-York tribune., 1900-11-30
AIDING THE FARMERS.
A YEARS WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.

Washington. Nov. 2s.-The annual report of the
Secretary of Agriculture was made public to-day.
Secretary Wilson begins his report with a compli-
mentary reference to the work of his predeces-
sors. which has brought the Department OF Agri-
culture TO its present state OF efficiency. He de-
clares his own aims TO be TO bring the Department
scientists to the help OF the producers. asce--
tain what we import that they produce. with
view Of encouraging its growth to search the
world for grains. fruits grasses and legumes that
they may be domestcated here and be i'm
provement what we have; to secure new and
improved varieties OF plants by fertiliza ton;
to cooperate with the experiment stations in all
the States and Territories in research of practical
value to the people of all sections. and 10 seek out
new markets for our surplus products Mr. Wilson
emphasizes the manner in which this Department
differs from others. He says its appropriations
should be regarded investment. for the reason
that 1t MAKES direct therefor by adding 20
the wealth Of the country thus adding yearly large
y to the profits of the farmers and others the
suit Of its Investigations He instances as money
saving money making agencies the Weather
Bureau. the meat inspection the pathological in
vestigaton OF plants the services Of the entomolo-
gst. the services OF the Department on behalf OF
the sugar and industries OF the orange industry
which owes its beginning and its preservation 10
this Department; of the tobacco industry and
others.
Important extensions of the Weather Bureau
work have been made in the last year. It's efforts
electrical communication without wires with
view TO establishing wireless electrical communl-
cation between vessels at sea and exposed points
the lake and coasts. New appliances have
been devised and receivers constructed more deli
cate than any heretofore made Already messages
have been successfully transmitted and received
over sixty miles of land presenting rough and r.
regular surface, and it is believed that the efh-
cheney thus indicated would operate successfully
several hundred miles of water. This matter.
is Of
that he has authorized further extensive eX-
perments. and he expresses the hope that IN the
near future the craft employed In our coast~lSe
commerce and on the Great Lakes will oe placed
in instantaneous communication with the stations
of the Weather Bureau located al the principal
ports.
Special storm forecasts for the North Atlantic
will be undertaken shortly through the use of re-
ports received from the West Indies. the Bahamas
Bermuda the Azores and Portugal, the new cable
system connecting Lisbon with New-York by way
of the Azores making this possible Much stress IS
laid upon the continued Improvement OF the fore
cast service and the value OF its warnings
BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY.
The number Of abattoirs and packing houses
ceIvng the benefit Of inspection was AS in forty-hve
localities as against in forty-one localities
preceding year The total ante mortem inspections
OF cattle aggregated 53,0S799i; animals rejected,
subject post mortem. at aoattors, $685. and in
stock yards 1861. The total post mortem nspec-
tions were 34737,s13 and the total carcasses con-
demned 81 800. In the microscopic inspection OF
pork 99s. .554 carcasses were examined. OF these
but l9.448 L95 per cent, were found to contain
living tr1china The total cost OF inspection
100000 The work Of preparing serum for treat
ing hog cholera and swine plague and experiments
in treatment Herewith continued, with results
which. while they do not Justify definite conclu-
sons yet sufficiently encouraging to justify
continued experiments. including some on entirely
lines. With regard 10 rabies the Secretary de-
clares that this disease is unfortunately. the
increase In the United States. al that local au-
thorties have in most cases not efficiently con-
trolled its outbreaks.
Experimental shipments Of dairy products
still continued and shipments of butter have been
I extended TO Cuba and Porto Rico. The Secretary
earnestly recommends inspection of dairy prod
ucts designed for export.
Elaborate work in the investigation OF food
aduIteraton has been continued. The results Of
seed testing declared TO he satisfactory and to
have greatly improved the quality of the seed dis
tribution by Congress
The most important work Of the year in the
division Of pomology the establishment and
maintaining at the Paris Exposition of exhibit
OF horticultural implements, seeds plants and
fruits This exhibit attracted wide attention and
most beneficial TO American producers. Consider
able space is given TO tea production in the United
Of utilizing the labor OF colored children in the
South, while at the same time affording them
good education.
which Is or SUCH KIND FULLY to justify addt-
ti0nal resources. Studies Of commercial trees with
a view ascertainlng rate OF growth and produc-
ton and other facts gernane the best practical
forestry. were considerably extended.
Much work has been done in cooperating with
the colleges and stations and the people Of the
several States in building experimental roads, and
acknowledgment is made OF the services contributed
O OF good roads by the TRANSPORTATION
companies throughout the country.
WORK OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
The Secretary reviews at considerable length the
work Of the experiment stations first established
IN this country twenty-five years ago. The sue
cess which, the whole. has attended the estab-
lishrnent OF the stations in all the States and
Territories is remarkable. The stations now en-
pIoy nearly seven hundred persons, and in their
publications aggregated 4i5 reports and bulletins
As the result OF Investigations in Hawaii Porto
Rico the Secretary believes that experiment sta
tious should be established in these dependencies,
and that they should receive for this work a n
rual appropriation equal 10 that given the other
Territories.
The study OF markets abroad with special refer
ence extending the demands therein for the agri
cultural products Of the United States, has been
fiscal years 1S97-lSD the total sales OF domestic
farm products to foreign countries aggregated the
enormous sum OF $3,1s6 O00O coo. excess OF 500
coo the preceding four year period. The
AGRICULTURAL exports of the United States for the
last fiscal year amounted $S44, ,0t1Or> The rapid
growth OF export trade TO the Orient in recent
years is striking. Five years ago the total
shipments Of domestic erchandise Asia and