The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-30
A YEARS WORK REVIEWED.
Secretary Wilson Submits Annual
Report of His Department..


Secretary Wilson Submits Annual
Report of His Department.
James Wilson. Secretary of Agriculture.
yesterday submitted his annual report to
the President for the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1900.
Mr.. Wilson empha sizes the manner in
which this Department differs from 9TH
ers. He says its appropriations should be
regarded as an investment, for the rea-
son that it makes direct returns therefor
by adding to the wealth of the country.
thus adding yearly largely to the profits
OF the farmers and others as the result
Of its Investigations. He instances as
money saving or moneymaking agencies
the Weather Bureau: be meat inspec-
ton; the pathological investigations Of
the services of the Department on behalf
of the sugar and tea industries, Of the
orange industry. which owes its beginning
and its preservation to this Department.
of the tobacco industry and others.
Important extensions Of the Weather
Bureau work have been made during the
past year. Its efforts were specially di-
rected to investigate methods of electrical
communication without wires, with view
to establishing wireless electrical COM
municatiOn between vessels at sea and
exposed points on our lake and sea coast.
New appliances have been devised and re-
ceivers constructed more delicate than
any heretofore made. Already messages
have been successfully transmitted and
st ,v
ing rough and irregular surface, and it
is believed that the efficiency thus indi-
Gated would operate successfully over sew
eral hundred miles of water.
Special storm forecasts for the North
Atlantic will be undertaken shortly
through the use of reports received
from the West Indies, the Bahamas. Ber-
muda. the Azores, and Portugal. the new
cable system connecting Lisbon with New
York via the Azores making this possible.
Much stress is laid upon the continued
improvement Of the forecast service and
the value of its warnings. He points out
that, notwithstanding the great number
Of craft plying the Gulf Of Mexico at the
time Of the Galveston storm the warnings
were so timely that there was no disaster
upon the open waters.
The number of abattoirs and packing
houses receiving the benefit of inspection
Al localities the preceding year. The to-
tai antemortem inspections Of cattle ag-
gregated $50 .994; animals rejected,
subject to postmortem. at abattoirs. 5,9oS:
and in stock yards. 153.5s1. The total
post-mOrtem inspections were 34.i3I613.
and the total earcasses condemned. 61.9O6.
In tine microscopic inspection of pork
but 1944S, or 1.95 per cent. were found
to contain living trichinae. The total cost
Of inspection was but few dollars ever
SOC. Oo0 OF vessels inspected by officers
IF the bureau. S62 received clearances. OF
he cattle shipped across the Atlantic. the
loss amounted to but "a per cent: Of
sheep, II per cent. and of horses, ESQ per
cent. 1t is interesting to note the great
increase in the number Of horses ex-
ported. or these. over q. coo were landed
from American ports at London, Liver
pool. and Glasgow.
Experimental shipments Of dairy prod
1cts are still continued, and shipments
If butter have been extended to Cuba and
Porto Rico. The department is seeking to
obtain Information useful to butter ex-
oorters in canning butter and producing
,utter especially adapted to shipment to
warm countries Some countries sending
,utter to these markets show DISPOSE
ion to adapt their products to the needs
II those countries, which is an example
,ur producers must follow il they are to
ompete successfully with them. The Sec
etary earnestly recommends an inspec-
ion of dairy products designed for X
'ort.
Elaborate work in the investigation CT
God adulteration has been continued.
)ver 500 samples OF preserved meats OF
IL kinds. purchased in open market. have
'een examined. The meat of the horse
as been examined for the discovery OF \
Method whereby it may be detected whe
old under another name Very little {
seems to be sold in the United STATES.
rhether under its own name or any 9th
anne. Active cooperation has been ti |
With other bodies, notably the Pure Foci
Congress- in an effort to secure iegisia-
ion on the subject of food authorizations
National legislation on the subject IS
,rged as essential to supplement and
make efficient the work done in the sav-
raj States. The sugar beet work has
cen prosecuted with vigor and .ntelH-
ence. Foreign food products introduced
nto this country have been the suhtees
t careful study. The results are conf
entail and are used for the information
( the authorities of this country con-
rolling imported food products. CO.
peration of the Chief Chemist has been
invited in several other directions and
lways cheerfully extended. So. also.
,ere has been cooperation with the tthef
visions of the Department where cheni-
al work has been necessary.
The Secretary reviews al consideTao!s
myth the work of the experiment stations
rst established in this country twenty
re years ago. Until 1887. the date of the
atch act. stations lad been established
only fourteen States Under this act
Ia enterprise was extended to cover the
,ti.e country. and the great success
hich. on the whole, has attended the es-
blishment Of the stations in all the States
Id Territories is very remarkable. IN
utling the SI2O 900 received from the Ma
onal Government. the total revenues or
@ stations during the year amounted TO
9OO. OOO The stations now employ near
700 persons. and in 1899 their publica-
,ns gresated AS reports and bulletins
Investigations on the food and nutrition
mar have been continued. largely in CO.
Grafton with the stations and colleges.
lis subject Is one touching every house,
Id numerous public institutions. and the
my and navy, and the results obtained
n be made of great practical value.
,usetold economics is rapidly taking its
ice among the required studies OF cur
situations of learning.
The study Of markets abroad with spe-
i reference to extending the demands
,rein for the agricultural products OF
, United States has been prosecuted with
Il and intelligence. From the records OF
s section we derive most satisfactory
ormaton as to the development of our
-icultural exports. While ii is true that
,ss bear somewhat smaller proportion
the total exports than formerly never