The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-17
AIDING Agriculture.


The address of Secretary Of Agricul-
ture Wilson. yesterday, at the Southern
Industrial Convention, In session at
Chattanooga, shows the great import
ance of the department of agriculture to
the country at large and the farmers
specifically. OF the matters discussed
by Secretary Wilson he says the most
important problems that have engaged
thu attention of the department during
the past three years were concerning
the suppression and eradication of con-
taglous and infectious diseases OF do
nestle animals, which have been care
fully studied. The diseases selected for
Investigation have been those which ex-
perIence and recorded observation have
proved to be most injurious from an
economic point of view. Especial at
tentlon has been given to the cattle dis
ease known as "balckleg," disease
which, although it occurs more or less
throughout the United States, was not
recognized as cause of very serious
losses until about four years ago. The
animal parasites OF sheep have been
given careful attention, and compare
tive tests have been made Of the most
promising methods Of treatment. The
preparation of anti-toxic serumG for
hog cholera and swine plague has been
conducted on large. practical and ex-
perlmental scale. The method Of serum
treatment at present Is not perfect, but
It has given uniformly much better re-
suits than any other methods Of treat
ing these diseases in swine than has
heretofore been suggested.
Experimental reports OF selected
creamery butter were made to England
with the purpose of directing attention
to the fine butter produced to sell In
English markets. The operations were
regarded as reasonably satisfactory In
a business way as well as otherwise,
while, at the same time. number OF
points were developed showing where
greater economy could be practiced In
the experiments which were to follow.
Some interesting and satisfactory
experiments in the shipment Of
eggs, with the same objects in view.
have also been conducted. Within =
few weeks shipments of sweet potatoes
have been made to Great Britain with
view to teaching the people over there
the value of that article of food. and
also to ascertain the facts regarding
practical methods of shipment.
1.-THE activities of the division OF for
estry," says Secretary Wilson. have
been transferred from the Office to the
forests. Practical forestry on a large
scale has been introduced among the
lumbermen, beginning OF effective CO.
operation with tree planters over a con-
siderable portion Of the country has
been made, and experts in numbering,
tree planting. etc, have been brought
into the division. over 100000 acres
Of land in thirty-four states have been
offered to the forestry for experimental
ton, and work is being done on the
public reserves of the United States.
The effect OF grazing on forest reserves
is being studied"
"Ths United States imports a great
many things that can very well be pro-
duced inside our own limits The dIvi-
sion of botany is studying these things.
For example, our imports Of chIcory In
1896 had a value of S225,22S. Our I'M
ports for the years 1898 and 1899 had Il
value of Sl4,s77 and Sl347O, respectively.
AS thus indicated, the chicory con-
sumed in the United States is now pro-
duced almost exclusively by our own
farmers. This is striking illustra-
ton of the best American farming
methods as applied to foreign agrIcul-
tural industry Several other crops of
foreign countries are now under inves-
tlgation."