The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-04

"a III n1IdJ imam Jul WI
and will extend the winter wheat several
miles north and considerably farther west
than now. The secretary anticipates a pos
sible increase of five to ten bushels per acre
over the standard spring Wheats. Particu-
lar Improvement has been made in the rice
growing regions of Texas and Louisiana,
largely through efforts of the department
In the introduction of new forms. AS a
result rice production in this country now
about equals the demand: The Jordan
almond is another successful introduction
during the year. This is the best imported
kind, and it is certain that in a few years
Caiifornia-grown Jordan almonds will be
on the market. Seeds of a number of al
kall-reslstant cottons and other plants have
been obtained.
The commercial success of the shade
grown Sumatra tobacco in the Connecticut
valley has now been fully assured, and
the plan adopted by which last years crop,
after being carefully cured and sorted un-
perts, was catalogued and offered for sale
at public auction under the supervision
OF the committee of tobacco brokers with
hon r.. Stevens Henry, NJ. c., as chairman,
proved highly satisfactory. Much credit
is due the members of the committee for
the time and expense they personally con-
tributed in the interest of this investigation.
The ordinary tobacco grown in the open
fields in Connecticut brings from Is to 20
cents a pound. The average price paid for
the shade-grown tobacco was 81. 20 a pound.
The cost OF this tobacco, baled and ready
for the market, averaged 51h cents a pound.
The net profit per acre on the best crop
raised on a lot of about six acres exceeded
S1.OW per acre. The reports from cigar
manufa cturers show that the leaf of this
Connecticut grown Sumatra tobacco has
successfully stodd the test of manufacture.
v1Slng and inStructing thirty-eight growers
in Connecticut and Massachusetts, Guilt
waiting 65 acres of shade tobacco. 1t may
be said of this line of department. work
that ii has demonstrated our ability TO pro-
duce a leaf for which about $6,0O0.0N have
annually been paid to foreign countries.
| EYnQrimQnfg hainO rnn6n i'm tho urnU.
| ing of this tobacco in Pennsylvania, New
York and Wisconsin, but the secretary in
clines to the opinion that the conditions
essential for the raising of a high grade
Sumatra tobacco are limited in extent and
can be closely defined by the Soil Survey.
GROWING OF CUBAN TOBACCO.
The tobacco situation in Texas and Ohio
has been thoroughly studied with a view
TO the production of a desirable type of
filler tobacco equal to the imported Cuban
leaf. and 1t is believed that by careful
methods of cultivation, fermentation. and
asserting. this can be done. In fact, leaf
has actually been grown that cannot be
distinguished from the imported Cuban
when properly fermented.
Field work on the food habits of birds has
been carried on in California and in Mary
land. The chief of the section of economic
ornithology spent several months in Cali
fornia studying the food habits of birds in
i the great Ifult-RFOWlnS ulSlrlcIS. NOfk un-
der the Lacey act for the protection and
preservation of game has been continued
along three principal lines. namely, pub
ne Gae I SI n nf tha imn on game P pr fernign
birds and mammals, and cooperation in re-
s~tricting illegal interstate shipments of
game. Digests of the game laws and of
laws protecting nongame birds have been
prepared. During the year PSI permits were
issued for the entry of about two hundred
mammals and $1,000 birds. The birds i'm
rnrfad ~ nInccnd rtn6ar furn handc-onn N
birds and song birds, the latter greatly ex-
ceeding the former. The inspection serv-
ice includes the principal ports of entry of
both coasts and also Honolulu, Hawaii.
Statistics of attendance at the land grant
colleges show over 1900 students enrolled,
an increase over the previous year of { per
cent. The attendance for the four-year
course in agriculture increased more than
70 per cent. The secretary points to the
marked success of agricultural high schools
ton that there is a demand for agricultural
courses with those afforded in various
manual arts in the city high schools. He
states that all over the country farmers are
sending their children to public high schools
and paying for their tuition.
In regard to farmers institutes he states
that these are now held In f0rty-f0ur States
and Territories. including Hawaii. Over
2.30O institutes We're held last year. the
funds contributed by the different States
and Territories TO this work amounted to
nearly 100000 and 1909 persons attended
these institutes. He points out that while
the persons actually engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits number about 10. 600. 900
the total number of persons reached by the
institutes and the agricultural colleges is
not much over Z per cent. of that number
while the publications of the stations reach
about 10000 farmers. He includes, there
fore, the great need of a wider dissemina.
ton among farmers of the results of agri.
cultural study and research.
STUDY OF FOREIGN MARKETS.
The Investigations of the division of for
49, -,.rl~otc chAuy n~0nrfi4nnI a.;g.
on the part of our competitors in the agri.
cultural export trade, especially Australia
Canada and Argentina. Our own agricul.
tural exports for the fiscal year $50.
amounted to $500, co., 00. This, next to tn,
exceptional record for 1901. is the highesr
ever reported. The falling off from 100
was mainly corn and cotton. The decline
in these two products aggregated SIS. 600, 600
Special interest has been aroused in oul
in forestry products. OF these
the United States exported last year $50.
600, 900 worth, Europe being the principa
foreign market. and the United Kingdom
the largest purchaser. Our m Will
Hawaii in so far as agricultural product:
are concerned shows a slight falling off
but a considerable increase with Porte
Rico and the Philippines.
The secretary concludes his report will
some interesting figures illustrative OF TIL
magnitude of the agricultural industry. Ii
1900 the fixed capital of agriculture wa.
about $50, 900, 1000 coo. or four times that in
vested in manufacture. In that year ther,
were nearly 5000. 40 farms in the country
covering Sal 600. 900 acres. As, 900 900 Of which
consisted of improved land. According 4
the returns of the last census about 40.
100000 people. or more than half of tn
total population in 1900. resided on farms
OF the 100000 persons reported as en-
gagged in gainful occupations 10000. COO
more than a third-were employed i'm agri
cultural pursuits. The produce OF Ameri
can agriculture in 1899. including farm ami
mails and other products. aggregated nearl
S.010. 200. 900. The most valuable crOp wa
Indian corn. $S2s. 100000: then hay and for
age, $iSi o0.O10, then cotton. 1924. 000. 600
wheat returned $50 0.000. and oats $2l7. 600,
COO. The animals sold and slaughtered dur
ing the year were valued at over $500. 90. 90
, the products of the dairy gave $i72. 600. OC
while poultry and eggs returned over S3sl.
, ooo.O0o. The concluding statement of tn
3 secretary is that results i'm the work O
the government for agriculture are justify
ing expenditures. and 'the future will sti
|. further show the value OF science applied {
I the farm"
Judgment I'm st. Clair County Case.