The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-01
Annual Report of
 Secretary Wilson

The Seventh Annual Report of the pres ent Secretary of Agriculture has been submitted to the President. It opens with 6 discussion of the educational require mefits of the research work of the De- partment. Although the Department hAs availed itself to the fullest extent or sae agricultural colleges, 1t has been neces- sary. in view of the rapid development of the work. to secure competen. nSn wherever they could be found. In the training of specialists for its various lines of work, the Department has become practically a postgraduate institution. Mr. wilson in illustration of this fact, reports the admission to the Department since 1s97 of 496 students; 249 of these are still in the Department, not less than lsz having passed into the classified service. Production and Export of Agricul-
 tural Products.
 Secretary Wilson reviews at length the production and exports of American aeii' cultural products. The increase in the ex- ports of farm products for the nalI cen tury ended 1901 was from $1H,0OO,0OO to ss52. 900 O0o-55o per cent. The export or farm products for the closing decade or the last century was over $700, COCOON. and for 1908 over $s7s, ,0oO0 900. an amount second only to that of 1901.
 Cotton Exports.
 Although the consumption or cotton III this country is greater than that or any other country in the world. yet, In adoi- ton to supplying the home market, the South exported last year over S,5oooOo'V" pounds of cotton, worth $Sl7,OOoUW.
 Exports of Grain and Meat and Their
 Products.
 Of grain ond grain products, the ex- port exceeded in value $221 00O.OOO, and Tn the supply of animals, meats and meat products, the value of exportation was $21l, ,000000.
 The Farmers Balance of Trade. Discussing the balance of trade, the Secretary shows that the favorable pai' ance to the credit of this country IS que entirely to the farmers. The balance or trade in favor of farm products during the last fourteen years, no year excepteo' aggregated $4, S06, ,OOO, 900. In products, oth- CT than those of the farm. during the same period the balance of trade was ao- verse to this country to the extent or $S65, ,0o0.OO0. Our farmers not only can celed this immense obligation, but placed s3,940,000.000 to the credit of the nation when the books of international exchange were balanced. He concludes that "1t is the farmers who have paid the foreign bondholders."
 Magnitude of Agricultural Produc-
 tion.
 Reviewing tine magnitude of agricultural production. after giving the figures of the most important crops, MT. Wilson states that the value of all farm products, not fed to live stock. for 19G3 considerably ex- ceeded their value in the census year. when it was given as $S,742, 100000.
 Values of Farm Animals.
 According to the Departments invent ory of farm animals for January l, 1908. the value of horses was over a,OO0, 900, 600. and of mules, nearly 2O0,O00,00O. The value of cattle of all kinds considerably exceeded $500, 100000; of sheep. $16S, S,0Oo,- 600. and of hogs, $S65 100000.
 Better Distribution of Progress. He congratulates the country upon the better distribution of agricultural progress since 1890. The distribution of expansion, progress and welfare has been more gen. eral throughout all the sections of the country. especially in the South.
 Meteorological Education.
 The Secretary reports gratifying ex- tension in public education along meteor ologtcal lines. Regular courses of lec- lures or classes have been conducted by Weather Bureau ofiicials in not less than twelve colleges and universities. Many of the representatives of this Bureau have. moreover. delivered occasional ad- dresses in other classes or colleges, and 10 teachers of schools. The demand for