The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-12-02
Mr.. WILSON'S REPORT.
avorable Balance of Trade Due
to Export of Farm Products.
Value of Farm Exports For 1903 Was
Over $s78,ooo,ooo, Exceeded Only In
1901-VaIue of Horses, Mules and
CattIe-New Method of Seed Distri'
bution-Foot and Mouth Disease.

bution-Foot and Mouth Disease.
Washington, Dec. 1.-The seventh
annual report of the present secretary
OF agriculture has been submitted to
the president. 1t opens with discus
ZION of the educational requirements
Of the research work of the depart.
ment. Although the department has
availed itself to the fullest extent of
graduates of the agricultural colleges,
Il has been necessary in view of the
cure competent men wherever they
could be found Mr.. Wilson reports
the admission to the department since
1897 of 49G students; 249 of these are
still in the department, not less than
1872 having passed into the classified
service.
Secretary Wilson reviews at length
the production and exports of Amer
ican agricultural products. The in
crease in the exports of farm pro-
ducts for the half century ended 1901
was from STAT 900 900 to 1852 900 600
$50 per cent. The exports of farm
products for the closing decade of the
last century was over S700,000,000 q
year, and for 1903 over $S7S0O0, 900,
ar 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 tC supplying the home market
the South exported last year over 3H
million dollars.
Of grain and grain products, the ex-
port exceeded in value 221 million dol
lars, and in the supply Of animals,
meats and meat products, the value OF
expectation was 211 million dollars
Farmers Balance Of Trade,
Discussing the balance of trade, the
secretary shows that the favorable
balance to the credit of this country
is due entirely to the farmers. The
balance of trade in favor of farm pro-
ducts during the last II years, no year
excepted, aggregated 4,S0G million dol
lars 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 mil
lion dollars. Our farmers not only can
celed this immense obligation, but
placed 3,94O million dollars to the cred
it of the nation when the books of in
ternational exchange were balanced
He concludes that, 1T is the farmers
who have paid the foreign bondholi
ers."
Reviewing the magnitude of agri-
cultural production, after giving the
figures of the most important crops,
Mr. Wilson states that the value of all
farm products. not fed to live stock,
for 1903 considerably exceeded their
value in the census year, when it was
given as 3.742 million dollars.
According to the departments in
ventory Of farm animals for Jan, !,
1908, the value of horses was over
one billion dollars, and Of mules, near.
ly 200 million dollars. The value OF
cattle of all kinds considerably ex
ceeded 1900 million. of sheep, 1GS mil
lion. and of hogs, 365 million dollars,
The secretary reports gratifying
extension in public education along
meteorological lines Regular courses
Of lectures or classes have been con
Quoted by weather bureau officials in
not less than 12 colleges and universi-
ties. Many of the representatives OF
this bureau have, moreover. delivered
occasional addresses in other classes
or colleges. and to teachers of schools
The demand for instruction on these
subjects increases rapidly
Value of Weather Forecasts.
Several disastrous floods occurred
some of the greatest of which there Is
authentic record Fortunately, the de
partment's warnings were prompt and
timely in the most remarkable degree
and no dangerous flood was unher
aided
An increase of nearly 10000 Is
shown in the number of places receiv
ing forecasts by telephone without ex
pense to the government, thus securing
rapid extension of weather infOrma
ton among progressive agriculturists
The campaign for the suppression
of the foot and mouth disease in New
England is reviewed at length Opera
tions were begun Dec. /, 1902, and the
last diseased herd was slaughtere
May g. 1903. The cooperation Of th
several states was prompt and com
plete The number of animals slaugh
tered was 4,4G1, of which 3,S72 wer5
cattle and the rest hogs, sheep an"
goats. The department allotted z
per cent of the appraised value as in |
demnity, and the amount thus paif
was $12S,90S57 Including all thu
other expenses, the secretary esti
mates the total cost of the eradication
of the disease at less than s30000l
The stock raisers of the country were
saved from a great calamity by th'
successful termination of this work |
A general extension of the contagiou
over the country would have cause
cattle raisers direct losses aggregat
ing hundreds OF millions of dollars
while indirect losses from restrictions
on traffic and embargoes on our eXpor
trade would have been simply inca! |
culable