The Washington herald., 1906-11-29
RICHER THAN EYER
Wilson Says Farms Smashed
Records in Last Year.
1905 OUTPUT WAS $500, ,OOO,O
Secretary of Agriculture Issues IA
Proclamation of Thanksgiving in
port, PrOcIaining that Even Beuter
Things May BE Expected in Future.

Secretary Wilson, of the Agricultural
Department, presented 20 the President
yesterday an amazing and gratifying
picture Of effective soil production in the
United States for the last year. II was
in his annual report. His views on the
future possibilities are even more mar
velous.
In his hosannahs the Secretary issued
a Thanksgiving proclamation Of his own
In these words:
"A new dignity has come TO agricul-
tuTe with its economic strength; and for
the abundance the Creator has enabled
the farmer to supply, for the stability
of the national agriculture. for the com
forting prospect Of a potent future. the
people are ready 90 join in day Of rev
erent and joyous Thanksgiving
He announces that the farm products Of
the year have a farm value of almost
SIS 00o0. half a billion above the value
Of 1905 and exceeding by more than S2,000,-
oo0.00o the figures for the last census.
The key to the doorway of greater ac-
complishments which the Secretary holds
out 10 the American farmer has inscribed
thereon the words, Scientific Farming.
He declares that no miracle would be re-
quired to double or treble the production
Of cotton per acre, and that the corn,
wheat, and many other crops can be in
/ creased by one-half per acre within a
quarter Of a century and then not reach
the limit
Heas Are Buster Now.
He says that one-fourth Of the dairy
cows do not pay for their feed and that
more than one-half Of them pay no profit
Re predicts that the egg production per
hen will be increased by at least a dozen
a year within a generation.
The Secretary declares that the farmer
will not fail the nation If the nation does
not fail the farmer. He needs education
10 open the powers Of the soil not hidden
from him. he exclaims; and to show
what he and his force are accomplishing
he continues: The work Of the depart
ment has already had results valued at
hundreds OF millions Of dollars ANNUALLY,
and yet has barely crossed the threshold
Of its mission Of discovery and educa-
Lor"
/ The report deals at length with the
I farmer and his products. Crops so large
as 20 be beyond any rational cOmprc-
heEsIon. have strained tho freight-carry-
ing abilities Of The railroads Directly
and indirectly the farmer has set up a
demand for iron and steel that has ex-
ceeded the productive power of the chief
producer among nations. The farmer e
contribution 10 the supply of loan capital
has been beyond calculation. and recalls
the fact that the depression in the loan
/ and investment market OF 1913 was
cleared away by the following crop.
1906 Record-breakers.
( The value of the farm products Of 1896
We're per cent greater than that Of
1895, 10 per cent. over 1894, Il per cent
over 1903. and a per cent over 1880.
1 Corn is by far the most valuable crop.
/ The cotton crop, fiber and seed combined.
/ follows corn in order Of value although
il is only three-ffths Of the value Of the
corn crop. Hay is third in production,
wheat fourth oats fifth. and potatoes
sixth
Domestic animals Of the farm are es-
( tmated at about 200Go000 head In the
/ last census. 1850. more than 100000 meat
/ animals were slaughtered and exported,
1S.s090C0 being cattle. Every time the
I clock ticks d second during ten hours Of
/ a workday the farmer drives nine ami
| mails 10 the butcher. says the Secretary.
In his reference TO the Weather Bureau
and the extension Of storm warning serv-
ice to vessels at sea the report states
that during the year a plan has been
perfected whereby ships equipped with
wireless telegraphic apparatus may re-
ceive notice of severe storms If within
communicating distance of shore stations
or other vessels.
The attention drawn to scientific OBJ
servatiOns of earthquakes by the calam-
[ ity that befell San Francisco has pro-
/ NOTED the department to authorize the
/ Weather Bureau to install an additional
/ number OF instruments at places Of OBJ
servauon where the department owns
buildings and suitable grounds.
For Rigid Meat Inspection.
The report says that even before the
new meat inspection law had been passed
by Congress last spring. steps had been
taken by the department TO investigate
the alleged insanitary conditions in the
Chicago packing houses. the Secretary
having appointed a special committee 10
make the investigation. The service viii
be extended and viii include as rapidly
as possible all establishments engaged
in interstate or foreign commerce, which
comes within the law.
While the department insists on inspect
ing the entire output OF each establish
ment at which its inspection is main
tanned, the Federal inspection does not,
and cannot reach establishments doing
business exclusively within the State
The Secretary's report is one Of the
most interesting ever prepared by the de-
partment. Il treats Of the pure food act
which will 60 into effect January l. Insect
studies. surveys, game protection. breed
ing irrigation drainage TOad-building,
plant GiS, ases. grain sterilization. dairy
work and a thousand other topics on
the diversified work Of the department are
treated exhaustively.
That Secretary Wilson had adopted the
simpIified spelling method is evidenced by
the fact that throughout the publication
such words as wasn't 'altho, thru,
''discust," and other words appear.
The Second Karmata TraveIOEue.
Italy will be the subject of the second
of the Karmata Travelogues TO be given
at the Columbia Theater Friday after
noon. November 80, at 4:SO o'clock There
is no more delightful country through
which to wander Rome Venice, Genoa,