Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1905-09-28
ANNUAL REPORT.

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ossrstasy Wnssn stAfss sens IRE.
nenAous uasts ~ A~UEasaltuFs.
A very Interesting document y eec
retary Wilson's annual report especial
" In the setting forth Of TIE present
magnitude Of agriculture In this coun-
try. All ef the gold mines Of the en-
tire world, the secretary says. have
not produced. since Columbus discover.
Cd America, Q greater value Of gold
than the farmers Of this country have
produced In. wealth In the past TIVE
years. Agriculture has produced the
u~nthinkahie value of nearly 95yO00,O00,-
600 within . year.
Leading Itsns q Depastnent work.
The secretary enumerates among I'm
portant features Of the years WORK Of
the department Of agriculture the fol.
lowing: The extensive cooperation
with agricultural stations: the taking
Of preliminary steps to conduct feeding
and breeding experiments; the war
waged against the cotton boil weevil
and against cattle mango; plans FOX
education Of engineers In road build
ing; the production Of q hardy orange
Q hybrid OF the Florida orange and the
japanese trifolianta; valuable research
in successful shipping Of fruit abroad;
the value Of nitrogen fixing bacteria;
successful Introduction Of plants suited
to light rainfall areas; establishment
Of pure food standards; the extension
Of instruction to q island possessions
to enable them 10 supply the country
with $200Y000.000 worth Of domestic
products. now imported from abroad.
Increase In Earn Capital.
Reviewing the increase in farm cap.
ital the secretary estimates It con-
~servatively at &2yOo0000.O0o within
four ~years-this without recognising
the marked increase In tho value Of
land during the past two years. The
most startling figures shown a. illus
trating the farmers prosperity are
those presented BY deposits in banks In
typical agricultural states. The secre-
tary selects for this Illustration Iowa,
Kansas and Mississippi Taking ali
kinds Of banks, national, state. prtvats
and savings. the deposits increased
from June 30. 1895, to Oct. 81. 1904. in
Iowa, 1914 per cent; in Kansas, 210 per
cent, and In Mississippi s01 per cent
in the United States 81 per cent
F1aat Study In Public ScAeela.
Special efforts have been made Il
encourage the study Of plants In the
public schools. The secretary argues
that oar system Of elementary educa.
ton leaves NO impression on the child's
mind Of the importance, value and use
fulnsss Of farm life. while In many
ways hs = brought early Into contact
with facts pointing to the value Of
commercial life. He calls attention t.
the rapid advances made In agriculture
along all lines and notes the need foI
bright young men In this field, which,
hs believes, offers opportunities a.
great - any Other.
nsaAnaking.
Object lesson roads have been con-
structsd with the cooperation Of the
o1ice Of public road inquiries In Ar
kansas, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and
West Virginia. These were mostly
first class macadam roads. It has also
co-oDerated at several points in the
south In constructing experimental
roads Of q mixture Of sand and clay.
In the absence Of stone and gravel this
mixture may b used to great advan.
tage. Much has been accomplished dur.
ing the year In the development Of
good roads By the state aid plan. In
connection with the subject Of road
materials the secretary urges the Dc.
STABILITY Of q school for road building