Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-06
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Products Valued at $s,926, 100000.
Increase Over 1909.

.
The report Of the secretary of agri-
/ culture invites attention to the stu
| pendous value OF the agricultural prod
ucts of this country, amounting in all
to 100000 for this year. This
amount is larger than that OF 1909 by
! S3O5, 100000 The existence Of such
crop indicates a good prospect for
business throughout the country.
A notable change for the better is
commented upon by the secretary In
the fact that the south, especially in
those regions where the boil weevn
has interfered with the growth of cot
ton, has given more attention to the
cultivation of corn and other cereals.
so that there is a greater diversified
ton Of crops in the south than ever
before. and all to the great advantage
of that section.
The report contains a most interest
ing account of the activities of the de-
partment in its various bureaus, show
ing how closely the agricultural prog
ress in this country is following along
the lines of Improvement recommend
ed by the department through its pub
locations and the results of its expert
ment stations in every state and by
the instructions given through the ag-
ricultural schools aided by the federal
government and following the general
curriculum urged by the head and bu-
reau chiefs of the department.
The activities of the department
have been greatly increased by the en-
actment Of recent legislatiOn-by the
pure food act, the meat inspection act,
the cattle transportation act and the
act concerning the interstate shipment
of game. This department is one of
those the scope of whose action is con-
stantly widening, and therefore it is
impossible under existing legislation
to reduce the cost and their estimates
below those of preceding years.
An interesting review of the results
Of an examination made by the de-
partment into statistics and prices
shows that~on the average since 1891
farm products have increased in value
70 per cent. while the things which
the farmer buys for use have increas-
ed but u per cent an indication that
present conditions aie favorable TO the
farming community.
Forest Service.
! have already referred to the forests
Of the United States and their extent
and have urged, as l do again. the re-
moval Of the limitation upon the power
of the executive TO reserve other tracts
of land in six western states in which
withdrawal for this purpose is now
forbidden. The secretary of agricul-
ture gives a very full description Of the
the last summer in the national for
ests. A drought more intense than any
recorded in the history of the west had
introduced a condition into the forests
which made fires almost inevitable,
and locomotive sparks, negligent camp
ers and in some cases incendiarieS fur
nished the needed immediate cause.
At one time the fires were so extend
ed that they covered a range of hun
dred miles, and the secretary estimates
that standing timber of the value of
$50 10000 was destroyed. Seventy-s
persons in the employ of the forest
service were killed and many more in
jured, and 1 regret to say that there
is no provision in the law by which the
expenses for their hospital treatment
OF VI lucli IOulu DS LicL Oul
of public funds.
The Red Cross contributed thou
sand dollars, and the remainder of the
necessary expenses was made up by
private contribution, chiefly from the
force of the forest service and its Off
cials.
recommend that suitable legislation
be adopted to enable the secretary OF
agriculture to meet the moral obliga-
tons of the government in this re-
spect.
The specific fund for fighting fires
was only about S135. 900. but there ex-
listed discretion in the secretary in
case Of an emergency to apply other
funds in his control to this purpose,
and he did so to the extent of nearly a
million of dollars. which will involve
the presentation of a deficiency esti-
mate for the current fiscal year of
over 100000. The damage done was
not, therefore. due TO the lack of an
appropriation by congress available to
meet the emergency. but the difficulty
Of fighting it lay in the remote points
where the fires began and where Il
was impossible with the roads and
trails as they now exist promptly to
reach them Proper protection neces-
states. as the secretary points out. |
The expenditure of a good deal more !