Gilpin observer., 1902-12-11
FARMING MATTERS.
Progress of Agriculture.


Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, in
his report just issued, gives many in
Eteresting figures illustrative of the
magnitude of the agricultural indus
try. In 1900 the fixed capital of agri-
culture was about twenty billions of
dollars, or four times that invested
lin manufacture. In that year there
were nearly FIVE million seven hum
ldred and forty farms in the country,
covering eight hundred and forty-one
million acres, four hundred and fifteen
millions of which consisted of i'm
proved land According to the re-
turns of the last census, about forty
million people, or more than half of
the total population of 1900, resided
on farms. OF the Twenty-Five million
persons reported as engaged in gain
full occupations, ten million-more
than one-third-were employed in ag-
ricultural pursuits. The product of
American agriculture in 1899, includ
ing farm animals and other products,
aggregated nearly five billions of dol
Jars. The most valuable crop was In
dian corn, $828,000,000; then hay and
forage, S4S4, 100000; then cotton, 1924
100000; wheat returned $4,000, 900,
and oats 100000. The animals
sold and slaughtered during the year
were valued at over S900,000,000 the
products of the dairy gave 72,000,-
900, while poultry and eggs returned
over S1,000,000. The concluding
statement of the secretary is that re-
suits in the work of the government
for agriculture are justifying expend-
itures, and 1.-The future will still fur
ther show the value of science applied
to the farm"
The secretary opens his report with
a reference to the educational work
of the department, which he says has
grown in effectiveness since his last
annual report. He finds that the de.
mands Of many public institutions for
men to conduct research in scientific
fields and for ability to manage agri-
cultural enterprises encourage young
men to take advantage of the oppor-
tunities thus Afforded The teaching
of the science of agriculture and of
the sciences relating to it are receiv-
ing more attention in the colleges in
stituted for the purpose, many of
which have neglected their full duty
in the past
Under the inspection service of the
Bureau of Animal Industry ante-mor-
tenn inspections for the year aggre-
gate nearly 60,000,O00, at a cost OF a
fraction over / cent each. The num-
Der of postmortem inspections was
nearly 39,000,000. The meat inspec-
tion stamp was affixed to over 23,000,-
900 packages of meat products and the
number of certificates of ordinary in
spection issued for meat products for
export, exclusive of horsefiesh. was
32,744. The quantity of pork exam
ined microscopically and exported ex-
ceeded 33000.O00 pounds. Altogether
the value of exports of animals and
animal productions for the year
amounted to s244,733, ,062. The clear
ances of vessels carrying live stock
was S37, and the inspection of these
vessels has reduced the percentage of
loss in ocean transit to 0.13 per cent.
for cattle, 0.S9 per cent. for sheep,
and to 0.65 per cent. for horses.
Interest in forestry and percep-
tion of it's possibilities as a great ma
tional resource have developed SO
swiftly in the United States that the
discrepancy between the capacity for
government service of this branch of
the department and its opportunities
was never SO great as now. During
the past year the Bureau of Forestry
has notably increased its store of
knowledge. on which all forestry de-
ipends. and has made large gains in
introducing practical management Of
forests of both public and private own
ership. Its field work has engaged
1852 men and has been carried on in
lforty-two states and territories.
! Thirty-seven applications were re-
lceived during the year, asking advice
for the management of 100000 acres.
The total area now under manage
ment, in accordance with the working
plans of the bureau, is 372. .463 acres.
"A plan is in preparation for a tract
in southeastern Texas. comprising an
area of 1,250,000 acres. the largest pri-
vate holding of timber land in the
United States.