The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-06
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICuLT TURF

DEPARI MEhI UF AGRICULTURE Products Valued at $S,92e, 900 O0o.
 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 ali to Ss,926, 100000 for this year. This amount is larger than that of 1909 by $3O5, ,0OO,O ,OOO. The existence of such a crop indicates a good prospect for business throughout the country.
 A notable change for the better is commented upon by the secretary ill the fact that the south, especially in those regions where the boil weevii has interfered with the growth of cot ton, has given more attention to the cultivation of corn and other cereals. so that there is greater diversifica- tion of crops in the south than ever before, and all to the great advantage of that section.
 The report contains d most iraerest- ing account of the activities of the de- partment ill its various bureauSL 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 licatiOns and the results of it's experl- ment stations in every state and by the instructions given through tilie az ricultllral 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 72 per cent while the things which the farmer buys for use have increas- ed but 12 per cent, an indication that present conditions are favorable to the farming community.
 Forest Service
 have already referred to the forests and have urged, as I do again, the re- movaI 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 agricul- ture gives very full description of the disastrous fires that occurred during the last summer in the national for ests. X 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 CTS and in some cases incendiaries fur nished the needed immediate cguse.
 At one time the fires were so extend ed that they covered a range of a hun- dred miles, and the secretary estimates that standing timber of the value of S25, ,OOO O0O was destroyed. Seventy-six persons in the employ of the forest service were killed and many more in- jured, and I regret to say that there L. Jov 1>xy ;Dt, fho expenses for their hospital treatment or of their interment could be met out of public funds.
 The Red Cross contributed thou sand dollars. and the remainder of the necessary expenses wass made up by private contribution, chiefly from the force of the forest service and its off cials.
 I recommend that suitable legislation be adopted to enable the secretary of agriculture to meet the moral obliga- tions of the government in this re- spect.
 The specific fund for fighting fires was only about $13o 1000, but there ex- isted 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 deficiency esti- mate for the current fiscal year of over S9OO,OOO The damage done was not, therefore. due to the lack of an appropriation by congress available 10 meet the emergency, but the difficulty of fighting it lay in the remote points where the fires began and where ii was impossible with the roads and trails as they now exist promptly to reach them. Proper protection neces- sitates, as the secretary points out. the expenditure of a good deal more money in the development of roads and trails in the forests, the establish ment of lookout stations and tele phone connection between them and places where assistance can be SC. cured.
 The amount of refOrestation shown in the report of the forest service only about 15,OC0 acres as compared with the 100000 ,OOO acres of national forests-seems small, and I am glad to note that in this regard the secre- tary of agriculture and the chief of the forest service are looking forward to far greater activity in the use of