The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1910-12-06
.lEPLRTllElT Of lgRIGgLTyRE
Products valued at 81, aooO, 600.
increase Over 1909.

The report OF the 8ecfegNty q 'eebEt
culture invites attention to the stu
pendous value Of the Agricultural proCl-
ucts OF this country, amounting N ~
to IS ,e26, Ooo,O00 for this year y
amount IL larger than that OF 1909 oy
ss05- COo 600 The existence OF such
crop indicates a good prospect ZOE
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 weeyu
has tnterfered with the growth OF cot
ton. has given more attention to the
cultivation of corn and other cereals
20 TINT there Is a greater dlyersitica-
tIon 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
Dartment in Its various bureaus, snow
ing how closely the agricultural prog
ress in this country IS following along
the lines OF improy ement reeonlIn emf
cd nv the department. through its pub
lIcations and the results of Its expert
ment stations in every state and by
the instructions given through the ag-
rIcuItural schools aided by the federal
government and following the general
curriculum urged by the head and bC-
reau chiefs of the department.
The activities of the department
have been greatly increased by the en-
actment Of recent legisla tion-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-
stantIy 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
y per cent while the things which
the farmer buys for use have tncreas-
ed but 12 per cent an indication rnat
present conditions are favorable to the
farming community.
Forest Service.
have already referred to the forests
Of the United States and their extent
and have urged, as do again. the re-
noyoI of the Limitation upon the power
of the executive to reserve other tracts
of land in six western states in which
withdra wal for this purpose Is now
forbidden. The secretary of Rgricul-
ture gives a very full description of the
disastrous fires that occurred during
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 ca mp
ers and in some cases incendlaries fur-
nished the needed immediate cause.
At one time the fires We're so extend
ell that they covered n range of nun
dred miles. and the secretary estimates
that standing timber of the value OF
S25 600 was destroyed. Sevent%-slX
persons in the employ or the forest
service were killed and many more IN
iured. and 1 regret to say that there
Is no provision In tue law Ry wtlch the
expenses for their hospital treatment
or of their interment could be met out
of public funds.
The Red Cross. contributed a 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 ON
cials.
recommend that suitable legislation
I've adopted to enable the secretary OF
agriculture to meet the moral Obllga-
lions OF the government In this re-
spect.
The specific fund for fighting fires
was only about $185 600, but there ex-
listed discretion in the secretary IN
cnse 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 estt-
mate for the current fiscal year OF
over 5000. 600. The damage done was
not, therefore, due to the lack Of an
appropriation by congress available to
meet the emergency, but the diihculty
OF fighting It lay in the remote points
where the fires began and where II
was impossible with the ronds and
trails as they now exist promptly to
reach them. Proper protection neces-
sitntes, as the secretary points out,
the expenditure of n good deal more
money in the Development of roads
and trails I'm the forests, the establish
mcnt OF lookout stations and se'S-
phone connection between them and
places where assistance can be Sc
cured.
The amount of reforestatlon shown
in the report of the forest service
only about 1900 acres MS compared
with the $50, 100000 acres of national
7 uTn old n ]