The Washington times., 1904-12-06

and animal products 20 foreign COun-
tries every year. in addition 10 supply
ing our own people more cheaply and
abundantly than any other nation Is able
20 provide for its people. Successful
manufacturing depends primarily on
cheap food which accounts 10 "A oJnsid-
cradle extent for our growth in this dl-
rectiOn. The Department of Agriculture,
by careful inspection OF meats, guards
the health of our people and gives clean
bills of health To deserving exports II
Is prepared 10 deal promptly with I'M
ported diseases OF animals, and MAINTAIN
the excellence of our hocks and nerds
ian this respect There should be an an
lual census OF the live stock OF the ma
ton.
We sell abroad about $500 100000 worth
Of plants and their products every year
Strenuous efforts are being made 10 I'M
port from foreign countries such grams
as are suitable 10 our varying lOealltieA-
Seven years ago we bought I'M -
f1uTthS OF our rice; by helping the rice
growers on the Gulf coast 20 secure
seeds from the Orient suited 10 thelr
conditions, ana by giving them adequate
protection, they now supply nome Ic-
mand and export 10 the ISLANDS OF the
Caribbean Sea and 10 other rlce-sfoN-
ing countries. Wheat and other grains
have been imported from lght-ralnIali
countries to our lands In the west ana
Southwest that have not grown crops
because Of light precipitation, resulting
In an extensive addition 10 our cropping
area and our hOme-malting territory
chat cannot be irrigated. Ten million
bushels OF nrst-Ciass macaroni wheat
We're grown from these experimental inn
pOrtatlons last year.
Improving Fruits.
Fruits suitable to our soils and cll-
mates are being imported from all the
countries Of the Old WorId-the fig from
Turkey. the almond from Spain, the date
from Algeria. the mango from India.
We are helping our fruit growers to get
their crops into European markets by
studying methods of preservation
through refrigeration, packing, and
handling which have been quite sue
cessful, We are helping our hop grow
Crs hy importing varieties that ripen
earlier and later than the kinds they
have been raising, thereby lengtnening
the harvesting season. The cotton crop
Of the country is threatened with root
rot, the bOllWorm. and the boil weeVil
our patholOgists viii md immune varie-
Ties that viii resist the root disease, and
the bOilworm can be dealt with, but the
boil weevil Is a serious menace 10 the
cotton crop. IL is a Central American
insect that has become acclimated in
IeNas and has done great damage. A
scientist OF the Department OF Agricul-
ture has found the weevil at home IN
Guatemala being kept in check by an
ant, which has been brought TO our cot
Ton nelds for observation. II is hoped
that II may serve a good purpose
me soils or the country are getting at
tenLon from the farmers standDOiDr
and interesting results are following.
We have duplicates OF the soils that
grow the wrapper tobacco in Samatra
and the nller tobacco IN Cuba. II viii
ne only question OF time when the
large amounts paid 10 these countries
VIII De paid 10 our own people The
is -, OF alkah lands IS progress
ing, 20 give object lessons 70 our people
IN methods by which worthless lands
may De made productive.
Insect Enemies.
The insect friends and enemies nj the
farmer are getting attention. The en-
envy Of the San Jose scale was found
near the Great Wall OF China and is
now cleaning up all our orchards. The
ug-fertilizing insect imported from Tur-
Key has helped 10 establish an Industry
In California that amounts to from fifty
10 one hundred tons or dried figs annu-
ally. and is extended over the Pacific
coast A parasitic fly from South Africa
IS keeping in subsection the black scale.
the worst pest Of the orange and lemon
industry in California
careful preliminary work is being done
toward producing our own silk The
IL --AtNAAA - bcal4E distributed IA large
numbers, eggs are being imported and
distributed, improved reels were import
e1 from Europe last year. and two ex-
pert reeleFs were brought 70 Washington
10 reel the crop OF cOcOOns and teach
the art 10 our own people
The crOp-repOrting system OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture Is being brought
closer 10 accuracy every year IL has
-9bOO1 reporters selected from people In
eight Vocations IN life. IL has arrange
ments with most European countries Tor
interchange Of estimates. so that our
people may know as nearly as possible
with what they must compete.