Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-11-30
FAD A BUSY YEAR.
The Secretary of Agriculture Re-
ports on the Work Done by
His Department.

larger than IN former years, reHecllnS
thereby the great growth and development
which has attended this department dur
ing his Administrations
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-
tineut of Europe, fr on 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.
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 $3.50, 600 900
in value. This vast foreign market is only
preserved to our producers by the indie
fatigable efforts of the department and
the rigid inspection exercised through the
bureau of animal industry. This bureau
inspected for export 3S5, coo cattle, 22S000
sheep and 5000 horses and mules, and
nearly 1000 vessels carrying live stock.
Imported animals were also inspected to
the number of 342, 600, and, where neces-
sary, quarantined. The secretary suggests
that with the enormous interests our
stock-raisers have at stake, and inspection
or quarantine affording after all rela-
tive, not an absolute, guarantee of protec-
ton, it might be well for this country
to follow the example of Great Britain and
exclude live stock from other countries
entirely.
The organization of the bureau of plant
industry is reported. 1t 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
Guiding 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.
Another of the newly organized bu"
reaus is that of forestry. The Sec
retary 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 a
total area of so, 600 900 acres, of which 1900.
900 are held by private owners. The work
of forest management is reviewed in some
detail During the year nearly 100000 acres
representatives of the bureau, and four
detailed working plans, covering 226,0OO
acres, were prepared.
The secretary reports as the result OF
a broad inquiry made through the office
of experiment stations that by far 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 a 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
| fculty of securing suitable land for the
| purpose. In the meantime, such investiga-
| lions 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-
| mary Investigations in coffee culture have
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 inyestiga tions in the
Philippines and. if feasible, to locate and
| maintain an agricultural experiment sta
| ton there"
He reviews very fully the great devel-
| opment in the work of farmers Institutes.
! In 1899 over 1000 farmers institutes were
| held in this country, attended by over half
a million farmers. These were held in
| 43 states and territories.
The secretary devotes great deal of
space to a discussion of irrigation investi-
| cations. These have been conducted
| through the Office of experiment stations,
and embrace % 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 irrigation in
the humid regions. and the remarkable
| fact is stated that in Louisiana more
money has been expended on pumping
| plants N 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 So to $40 per acre
to $50 and even 500 per acre.
Referring to the grazing lands. he says
probably $50 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 it's protection or
disposal. He refers to the frequent con-
hcts 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 a review OF
the development of agriculture and com
merce during the past 20 years, and OF
The contributions by the department OF
agriculture to the progress of events and
he building up of domestic and foreign
! trade. The secretary says that coincide nt
| with this growth numerous institutions
have grown up In this country and abroad
devoted to the application of science tc
| he service of agriculture, thus creating
a great demand, at good salaries, for the
| right sort of men. Each nation is seeking
| to extend its productions, and is depend
ing more and more upon the aid of SCI
| ence.