Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-07
The Rake=Off OF
The Middleman.

Washington, Dec. 6.-"The consumer
pays dollar for food; the farmer
gets less than so cents Of it, Who
gets the rest?'
That is question which Secretary
Wilson of the department of agrieul-
ture asked today. in his annual re-
port. The secretary does not attempt
TO answer it He does explain in some
detail the results of an investigation
his department has just concluded in
TO the effect of cold storage on the
whelesomeness and cost of food. His
Investigation leads him to recommend
publicity for the amount of food in
cold storage. just as the department
now gives publicity To the condition
OF crops from month to month.
Instead of food remaining in stor-
age for longer than a year or two
years. as a rule. the secretary declares
that his investigation showed that
receipts. into cold storage are entire
ly or very nearly exhausted by the de-
liveries out of cold storage within ten
months"
Long storage is the exception, the
secretary asserts. Y reimbursement
explained to the departm mt that ex-
ctssively ling storage was due to law
suits and other circumstances of an
uncommercial nature. The cost of
storage. including storage charge, in
terest and insurance. is considered as
barrier to very long storage.
Cold storage, the secretary reports. |
has raised the cost of living by in |
creasing the annual price level tor |
butter and eggs.
The secretary says that an eXamin |
alton of the record of prices gives a
suspicion that there has been much /
speculation in some years by the men
who keep commidites in cold storage. |
He refers to IAN apparent mistake"
OF the storage men in oyerestimating
the consumption of eggs by the pub
lie at exorbitant prices last winter, |
with the result that in the spring the
storage men had TO sell eggs at re-
Harkably low prices and send abroad |
the largest amount of eggs ever ex-
ported in order to get rid of the sup
ply. The secretary declares that the !
warehousemen ought TO be required to |
send to Washington each month the |
amount of commodities placed in stor
age 50 that the public may be able 10
judge of the future trend of prices.
A great variety of subjects are dealt |
with by the secretary in his report. |
lie says that the day is not far dis |
tent when the United States viii cease |
to import potash. Florida, Kentucky, |
Tennessee and Idaho are mentioned as
repositories
Recommendation is made that all |
government agencies that conserve
health should be grouped together in
enc bureau.
The success OF the department in
the Southern states through object
lessons in the fields. is pronounced to
have been such as to justify the ex
tei.sion Of the work to all states.
The department announces that the
COZ crop is moving northward by seed
selection.
THE American systems OF renting
laf5s are declared To lac faulty and re-
suit in soil rObbing II is suggested
that domestic animals be kept on
farms. even if the land owner must
furnish them, and that there be a ro-
tation OF CROPS.
After years of experimentation, the
department says that Egyptian cotton
can be grown in Southern California
and bulbs in the state of Washington.
~ Inc cFdyHSH Is pIOliOuHCeu TO De a
serious pest in the South. Carbon
bisuiphid is said to be sure remedy
The finest dates from the Sahara
desert succeed in the southwestern
states
Poultry produeest for the past year
arc estimated to have. been worth
s75o.00o,00O
The foresters of the Forestry Blu
resu are learning by experiments how
10 reforest 10000 acres in a year. The
secretary says that ten times this
mach must be planted annually to COW
er the hare acres in a generation.
We are sending explorers to the
ends Of the earth for new plants. and
getting them" says Secretary Wilson.
The secretary warns the irrigation
farmers that they must conserve their
soil; that irrigation VIII bring maxi
mum crops while the land is new and
full OF plant food But where the
crops are sold year by year. irriga-
ton of itself viii not Of itself assure
good results.