The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-12-24

tary of Agriculture is giving special at
tention is the so-called ''dry-land farm
ing" In the West are millions of acres
of fertile soil so situated that they can
never be irrigated If farmed at all,
these lands must be planted to drought
resistant crops, and cultivated according
to the best misunderstanding methods
The freight hauled to railroads over
wagon roads exceeds $50, 900, 900 tons
year, not including the immense tonnage
hauled to wharves and docks for ship
ment by water. With an average cost
of at least % cents per ton per mile and
an average haul of 9 miles, the resultant
sum representing the annual cost OF wag-
on transportation passes the hall billions
dollar mark. The total cost of our 2, l51,-
600 miles of road is over 81, 720, 900, 600,
while the percentage of improved roads
was only TIA in 1904, and is probably not
time. Twenty States have adopted the
State aid plan of improving roads.
The amount estimated for the fiscal
year 1910 in the regular appropriation
bill is $14, SIC, 626, which includes $720, 600
for agricultural experiment stations. In
addition there will be a permanent ap
preparation of $3,000,000 for meat in
spection, permanent appropriation OF
1924, 600 for additional allotments to ag
ricultural experiment stations under the
Adams Act, and $4,000 for printing
and binding under the Public Printer,
making a grand total of $18, 744, 626,
which is an increase over the fiscal year
1909 Of So, 094, $40, or 1877 per cent. The
principal items of increase each year are
for the maintenance and improvement of
the National Forests and for carrying
into effect the provisions of the food and
drugs act The appropriation for the
National Forests is offset by the revenue
from the sales of timber and grazing,
which amounted to 81, S39, 374. 92 during
the year ended June 80, 1903, making the
National Forests practically self-support-
ing.
The number of national forests is now
1872; and the total area 1853, 600, 900 acres.
At So per thousand feet stumpage the
timber standing in these forests is worth
$500, 600, 600 These forests now contain
one-fifth of the standing merchantable
timber in the country. The amount of
timber sold from the national forests
was 1856, coo, 900 feet, and the receipts
from timber sales We're $500, 900. The
grazing privileges yielded last year an
income of nearly S1,000,0 900. The work
of reforesting naked areas in the nation
al forests goes on. Last year tree seeds
were sown broadcast in II forests in s
States to test the usefulness of this
method. In the governments forest
tree nurseries, about 700,0 600 young trees
were planted. Over 1000, 900 trees will
be ready for planting in 1909.
The publications issued numbered 1922,
comprising IS, $40 printed pages, and the
total number of copies aggregated 49,
875, SIG. The superintendent of docu
ments sold 1926 copies of different pub
locations of the department and received
therefor S14, TIA. The number of copies
sold during the past year was nearly
three times as great as in 1904 and q, 600
more than in 1907. An organization was
necessary to put the food and drugs act
in force Such organization has been
created and branch laboratories for eX-
animation of samples have been estab-
lished in q principal cities. The in
speetors in the field number 80, and ap-
proximately Is, 400 samples of food and
drugs were collected.
The meat inspection force exercised
strict supervision over the slaughtering
and packing operations at 1877 establish
ments in 211 cities and towns-a gain
over the previous year of 70 establish
ments and 25 cities and towns. Animals
inspected before slaughter numbered
SO, 1896, 511. Their order numerically was
hogs, sheep, cattle, calves and goats. Of
the animals inspected at slaughter, 49,
126 carcasses and 704, 666 parts were con-
demned, 10S,5l9 carcasses were passed
for food. Nearly six billion pounds Of
meat food products were passed on by
Government inspectors, and there were
condemned on re-inspection 43, 344, 2O6
pounds of meat products. There was an
increase of 1873 per cent in the quantity
of meats and products certified for ex-
port as compared with the previous year.
Certificates to the number of 122, 295
were issued, covering l,545, 8OS pounds.
Statistics show that tuberculosis in
animals is on the increase. recent es-
innate based on the meat inspection and
the records of the tuberculin test, shows:
Beef cattle affected, per cent; hogs,
per cent; dairy cattle, 10 per cent. The
financial loss to stockman and dairymen
because of this disease is estimated to be
fully S14, 900, 600 per annum. Tubercu-
losis can be eradicated from our animals
only by means of systematic work of the
Federal and State authorities in cO-Opera- |
ton.
Warfare has been continued against
the brown-tail moths, which have threat
ened the destruction of New England
forests. The main feature of the pres
ent plan of campaign is the introduction
and employment Of foreign parasites of
these insects. A large amount Of para
site material was secured from Japan. |
In all 81 foreign enemies Of these tree
destroyers have been imported, and at
least Z of these species have been thor
oughly established. The outlook for eff
fective control of these insects is prom
Using.
OAsToEEA.