The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-06
SEC'Y WILSON'S REPORT
STRONG PLEA FOR AN APPALA-
 GILLIAN FOREST HEsERvE.
Tobacco Growing in Connecticut and Tea Growing in South Carolina succsssful-Need of Cotton In-
 dustry-Foreign Markets.

In his annual report Secretary Wilson of the Department of Agriculture gives some interesting figures illustrative Of the ma gnitude of the agricultural industry in the United States. The latest statis- ties available on the subject show that the fixed capital of agriculture in this country is about twenty billions of dol lars, or four times that invested In man. ufactures. There are about s.ooo.o0 farms. comprising H5,ooo, 900 acres of improved land. Forty million people, CT more than one-half the total population of the coun- try, reside on farms. The produce Of American agriculture aggregates annual iy over i've billions of dollars. The most valuable crop is Indian corn, hay and forage, cotton, wheat and oats following in the order named. The animals slaugh- tered in the United States annually have a value of nearly one billion dollars The products of the dairy are worth nearly half . billion annually. and the returns from poultry and egss approximate $soo,- 100000.
 for the establishment of an appalachian Forest Reserve.He says that the soils washed down from the mountain slopes are rendering annually less navigaole the Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. This result is directly attributable to the deforestation of the slopes. The Secretary states that the rate of land erosion on these slopes from which the forest cover has been removed is as great now in . single year as during ten centuries when covered with prineval fofests.
 Need of Cotton Industry.
 One of the greatest needs in improving the cotton industry in the United States has been to secure a long staple upland tA-x i1yA ness. Several varieties of the ideal type have been produced. and the past year s experiments show conciusively that these varieties can be made permanent Egypt and South Africa are waking up to their possibilities in cotton production. and the United States, the Secretary says, must develop and grow better and more pro- ductive varieties than will be grown by its competitors.
 Under the inspection service of the Bu- reau of Animal Industry, ante-mortem in- spections for the year aggregated nearly 60,O00, 600, at 6 cost of . fraction of over one cent each. The number of post-mor- tenn inspections was nearly 3sooo,00o. AL together the value of exports of animals for the year amounted to $244. 7S3.os2.
 Experimental exports of dairy products have been made to Japan. China, Cuba and Porto Rico. The obstacles to the rap i'd increase of this trade are principally inadequate transportation facilities and climatic conditions. Results. however. en- courage the further cultivation of the markets of Japan.
 The Secretary urges the necessity of a thorough and more systematic study of the foreign markets, so that the Ameri- can farmer and fruit grower may make shipments intelligently.
 In view of the vital importance of the investigations of grasses and forage crops to American agriculture, the Secretary recommends that Congress give the Presi- dent authority to secure for the experi- mental needs of the departments such tracts of public range as may be neces- sary for the purpose.
 The tea farm at Pinehurst, N. C., has proved such success that the depart naent has decided to establish q similar farm in Texas If suitable land and CO., operation can be secured.
 The Congressional distribution of seeds last year was the largest in the history of the department. The work of introduc- ing foreign seeds is being pushed, with good results in many instances. Particu- lar improvement has been made in the rice-growing regions of Texas and Louisi- ana, largely through the efforts of the de- partment in introducing new forms. As . result rice production in this country now about equals the demand. The Jor- dan almond is another successful intro- ductlon of the year.
 The soil survey has been greatly ex- tended, and the division of soil manage ment started in the course of the year gives promise of highly important results. An assistant has been furnished to the War Department to organize a soil survey for the Philippines.
 Tobacco Experiments. The commercial lsuccess of the shade grown Sumatra tobacco in the Connecti- cut Valley has now been fully assured At the present dime the department is ad- vising and instructing thirty weight grew CTS in Connecticut and Massachusetts, cultivating 64S acres of shade tobacco. Experiments are now being made in the growing of tobacco in Pennsylvania, New York. and Wisconsin. The tobacco situa- tIon in Texas and Ohio has been thorough ly studied with q view te the production of a desirable type of fine tobacco equal to the imported Cuban leaf. and 1t is be- lieved that by careful methods of eultiva- ton, fermentation. ana asserting this can be done In fact. the report states, leaf has been actually grown that cannot ba distinguished. when properly fermented, from the imported Cuban leaf.
 The increase in prairie dogs as s natural result of the destruction of their enemies, the coyotes and larger hawks, called for