The Grit-advocate., 1903-12-11
FARMING MATTERS.
Agricultural Report.

| for the half century ended 1901 was
from $147 ,00O,OO0 to 952, 900 ,OO0-55O per
cent. The exports of farm products for
| the closing decade OF the last century
was over 800 900 900 and for 1903 over
SsISOOO.0O0, an amount second only to
that of 1901.
Although the consumption of cotton
in this country is greater than that of
any other country in the world, yet, in
addition to supplying the home mar
ket the South exported last year over
3,50O00O,00O pounds of cotton, worth
s3l7 900, 900.
OF grain and grain products the ex-
port exceeded in value 1921 900 900, and
in the supply of animals, meats and
meat products the value of expectation
was s211 100000.
| Discussing the balance of trade the
| secretary shows that the favorable bal
/ ance to the credit of this country is due
entirely to the farmers The balance
of trade in favor of farm products
during the last fourteen years, no year
excepted, aggregated $4,S06, 900 900. In
products other than those of the farm,
during the same period. the balance of
| trade was adverse to this country to
the extent of $S65, 100000 Our farmers
not only cancelled this immense obliga-
ton, but placed $3340 ,O00, 900 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 bondhold-
ers"
Reviewing the magnitude of agricul-
tural productions, after giving the fig
ures of the most important crop, Mr..
Wilson states that the value of all farm
products not fed to live stock, for the
year 1903 considerably exceeds their
value in the census year, when it was
given as 42.O00,O 900.
According to the departments in
ventory of farm animals for January l.
! 1903. the value of horses was over
81 900, 100000 and of mules nearly $780,
100000. The value of cattle OF all kinds
considerably exceeded 81 300. 900 900; of
sheep $l6S, 900, 900. and of hogs $780,
100000.
In the introduction of new seeds and
plants from abroad, much attention has
been given to grains. New wheats from
| the Northwest. new oats, new milletS
and other crops have been pushed. The
work on durum of macaroni wheat has
been highly successful. The value of
these wheats in the drier portions of
the great plains has been fully estab-
lished Macaroni wheats should not be
grown where the rainfall is sufficient
for varieties of the spring and winter
| wheats. Not less than twenty mills
known to the department are now han
ding this wheat. Experiment has
shown that fine quality of bread is
made from macaroni flour.
| Alfalfa seed secured by the depart
ment's explorer in Algeria and some
received from Turkestan has been
planted under the personal supervision
of department experts in an effort to
secure the introduction Of an alfalfa
adapted to the alkali parts OF the arid
| southwest
Nearly one-third of the area of the
United States has insufficient rainfall,
and in spite of the extension of irriga-
| ton, enormous areas must remain in
| their present arid Or semi-arid condi-
tion and the Bureau of Plant Industry
| is occupying itself with the future of
these regions.
1t is believed that by intelligent man.
agement the grazing capacity of these
lands can be increased. The depart
ment is endeavoring to secure plants
that will grow in very dry soils and
at the same time yield crops profitably
marketable.
Secretary Wilson reports satisfac-
tory development of the beet sugar in
dustry. In 1896. 1920 tons of sugar
were made. and a year ago. 100000
tons. Careful estimates put the pres
ent crop at about 100000 tons. The
growing of seed in the United States
of a superior quality is assured.
Examinations and reports dealing
with technical problems in the manage
ment of forest reserves have been made
for reserves in Utah, California. Oregon
and New Mexico. Representatives of
the bureau have, during the past sum-
mer. examined over 2O.O00OOO acres
propos ed as forestry reserves in the
Rocky Mountain and Pacific coast
| states.
During the past year the Bureau of
Soils has been engaged in making al
kali reclamation demonstrations in the
arid West. Referring to an extensive
experiment located near Salt Lake City
where an area of 10000 acres is unpro-
ductive because of an excess of alkall.
tract of forty acres was secured and
the work of reclamation. in co-opera.
ton with the Utah Experiment Station,
was undertaken. At the beginning this
| tract was found to contain more than
21% per cent. of salt. or a total of $3.50
tons in four feet of soil. Two-thirds
of this quantity has now been removed
by the simple method of under-drain-
age and flooding.
1t is believed that the entire area
will be sufficiently sweetened by the
end of the present season to permit
growing shallow crop. The value of
alkali lands at Salt Lake City is but
$S per acre, as against 800 to $3.50 an
acre for lands not affected. The cost
of installing the drainage system was
about SIG an acre.
An experiment was also undertaken
near Fresno, California, where excess
of alkali caused depreciation in lands
! inn lo.S. tlax,