Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1901-11-28
AGRICULTURAL REPORT,
Secretary Wilson Gives Unusually
Long and Interesting Account
of His Department.
WHAT HAS Been DONE ouRlN6 YEAR,

&xtens1On OF Weather Bureau Sery.z
ice-shutting Out Of Animals from
Other Countries Recommended
Seed Distribution - Experiment
stations for Island Possessions.
Washington. Nov. 26.-The fifth annual
report of the secretary of agriculture.
Hon. James Wilson, is considerably
larger than in former years, rejecting
thereby the great growth and development
which has attended this department dur
Ing his administration a....
He announces an important extension of
The forecast field of the weather bureau,
which now includes reports from certain
points in the British isles and on the con-
tinent of Europe, from the Azores, Nassau,
Bermuda and Turks Island. The Allan
tic forecasts based upon these reports now
form part of the regular night forecasts
issued in Washington. Three new fore
cast districts have been established-in
Boston. New Orleans and Denmark. An
extension of the forecast to farmers
through the rural delivery is contemplated
Substantial improvements are reported
IN the departments system Of wireless
telegraphy.
Animal Industry,
"A large portion of the report covers the
subject of animal industry. The grand
total of animals and animal products ex-
ported during the year exceeded $780, 600, 900
In value. This vast foreign market is only
preserved to our producers by the inde-
fatigable efforts of the department and
the rigid inspection exercised through the
bureau of animal industry. This bureau
inspected for export 3S5,00O cattle, 22S.0OO
sheep and $4,000 horses and mules, and
nearly LOCO vessels carrying live stock.
Imported animals were also inspected to
VIII
sary, quarantined. The secretary suggests
that with the enormous interests our
stock-ra1sers have at stake, and inspection
or quarantine affording after all a rela-
tive, not an absolute, guarantee Of protec-
ton, 1t might be we'll for this country
to follow the example of Great Britain and
exclude live stock from other countries
entirely.
Plant Industry.
The organization of the bureau Of plant
industry is reported. It has brought to-
gether in one group investigations in
plant physiology and pathology, botany.
grasses and forage plants, pomology and
the experimental gardens and grounds, in
GLIDING the experiment farm at Arlington
and the introduction of foreign seeds and
plants. In regard to the congressional
seed distribution, the secretary states that
he has endeavored to meet the wishes of
congress in every way possible and to Sc
cure seeds of as high a character as can be
obtained under the conditions under which
the work is done.
Work of the Bureau of Forestry.
Another of the newly organized bu-
reaus is that of forestry. The Sec
rotary reports that this bureau is CO.
operating with the federal government,
with several states and many private own
ers in handling their forest lands. Alto
gether, assistance has been asked for
total area of 52,oO0,0 900 acres, of which 1000
coo are held by private owners. The work
of forest management is reviewed in some
detail. During the year nearly 500 900 acres
under private owners were examined by
representatives of the bureau, and four
detailed working plans, covering 26,000
acres, were prepared.
The ONCE of Experiment Stations.
The secretary reports as the result OF
a. broad inquiry made through the office
of experiment stations that by Tar the
largest part of the work Of the stations
has direct relation to the important agri-
cultural interests of the communities IN
which they are located. The work of the
stations is becoming better understood by
the farmers. and broader, deeper founda-
ton of scientific inquiry Is being laid each
year.
The station at Porto Rico has not yet
been fully established, owing to the diff
purposA In the meantime, such investiga-
tons will be undertaken as can be pur-
sued on lands leased or loaned by per-
sons ready to engage in cooperative work
with the station director. Some prelim-
fnary Investigations in coffee culture nave
already been arranged for.
He regards it as extremely desirable that
agricultural Investigations should be I'M
dertaken in the Philippine islands under
the war department and in cooperation
with the department Of agriculture. In
furtheranCe of this work, the secretary
recommends an additional appropriation
of $4,000 for the ensuing fiscal year Ito
institute agricultural Investigations in the
Philippines and. If feasible, to locate and
maintain an agricultural experiment sta
ton there"
Aid to Farmers Institutes.
He reviews very fully the great devel-
opment in the work of farmers Institutes
In 1899 over 1900 farmers Institutes were
held in this country, attended by over half
a million farmers. These were held IN
43 states and territories.
Irrigation Matters.
The secretary devotes a great deal Of
space to a discussion of irrigation investi-
cations. These have been conducted
through the office of experiment stations.
and embrace Q) studies of Irrigation laws
and the social and industrial institutions
of irrigated agriculture. (2) investigations
of the methods by which water is con-
served. distributed and used Attention
is directed to the growth of irriga ton in
the humid regions. and the remarkable
fact is stated that in Louisiana more
money has been expended on pumping
plants in the past two years than in any
arid state. BY irrigation, rice growing in
Louisiana and Texas has raised the price
of land originally worth S to $40 per acre
IN so and even 500 per acre.
The Grazing Lands
Referring to the grazing lands, he says
probably 4O0.000.O00 acres Of the public do
main has no agricultural value except for
pasturage. 1t is at present an open COM
mon. with no laws for its protection or
disposal He refers to the frequent con-
f1icts of the farmers under irrigation with
The range stockmen. and recommends, as
a remedial and beneficial measure, the
leasing Of the grazing land in such a way
as not to Interfere with the homesteader.
The report concludes with review of
The development OF agriculture and COM
merce during the past 40 years, and of
Observation-Disclosures nv tfe dPna rfment 0f