Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-28
TELLS OF BUSY YEAR.
Annual Report Of Secretary Wilson of
Agricultural Department.

Washington, Nov. 26-Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson in his annual re-
port calls attention to the fact that the
grand total of animals and animal pro-
ducts exported during the year exceed
ed $250,000,000 in value. This vast
foreign market is only preserved, he
says, to our producers by the indefati-
gable efforts of the department and the
rigid inspection required through the
bureau of animal industry. This bur-
eau inspected for export 3S5, 900 CATTLE
22S,000 sheep and $4,000 horses and
ing live stock. Imported animals were
also inspected to the number of 342,
600, and where necessary quarantined
The secretary suggests thnt with
the enormous interests our stock rails
ers have at stake. and inspection and
quarantine affording, after all, a rela-
tive and not an absolute guarantee of
protection, it might be we'll for this
country to follow the example of
Great Britain and exclude live stock
from other countries entirely.
Work of Vast Proportions.
The meat inspection service involves
'iiS iiiSpCStlol al ttlIt, vi vi
nearly 37,000,000 animals: OF the
more than 100000 cattle inspected.
the condemned carcasses We're about
one-fourth Of l per cent: of the $780,
600 sheep, one-tenth of 1 per cent, and
of 24,000,000 hogs. one-third of / per
cent. In the control of indigenous di-
seases 10000 inspections were made,
and over $4,000 cars disinfected in the
Texas fever service alone. In the re-
preston of scabies in sheep nearly s.
100000 animals were inspected, and
over 100000 dipped under the super
vision of the department inspectors.
In combating the disease known as
BLACK leg" the bureau distributed over
100000 doses of vaccine. the result
being to reduce losses in affected herds
to less than | per cent, where formerly
1t was in most cases about 10 per cent.
To aid in detecting tuberculosis in cat
tie and CHAMBERS in horses over $4,000
doses of tuberculin and 1000 doses of
Mallein have been supplied.
Sees Danger of Clash.
The secretary points out the serious
evil resulting from a system of state
inspection which, if it became general,
would effectually prevent the market
ing of live stock in some sections and
would destroy much of the usefulness
of the federal inspection. He regards
the present conditions as so menacing
to the interests of the cattle industry
in the west and southwest that he has
requested the attorney general to CO.
operate in bring the matter before the
supreme court for decision as to the
constitutionality of these state laws.
This request has been fasorably receiv-
ed, and the assistance of the depart
ment of justice promised.
Particular attention has been given
to the distribution of forecasts by
means of the rural free delivery.
There are now in operation 365 cen
tiers, supplying AN aggregate of nearly
$4,000 families in the farming districts
with the latest weather predictions.
With some additional appropriation
| it is the intention to reach several hun.
dred thousand farm houses with the
daily forecasts and warnings during
the coming year. The value of frost
and cold wave warnings to rural com
munities is beyond estimate, and the
rural free delivery of the postoffice de,
partment places the means at our com.
mand of reaching those who can be
the most benefited by these warnings