Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-07
WHO GETS THE OTHER HALF?
Secretary Wilson Propounds Cues
ton on Food Prices.
FARMER GETS LESS THAN HALF
Department Head HecOmmends that
Publicity he Given the Amount
of Food In Cold Storage for
Good of People.

WASHINGTON, Dec. G.-"The CON
sumers pay dollar for food; the farmer
gets less than fifty cents for it. who
gets the rest?"
That is the question which Secretary
Wilson Of the Department of Agriculture
asked today in his annual report. The
secretary does not attempt to answer it.
He does explain in some detail the re-
suits of an investigation his department
has Just concluded into the effect of cold
storage on the wholesomeness and costs
Of food. His investigation leads him to
recommend publicity for the amount OF
food in cold storage, just as the depart
ment now gives publicity to the con-
dltion OF crops from month to month.
Instead of food remaining in storage
for longer than year or two years, as
q rule, the secretary declares that his
investigation showed that receipts into
cold storage are entirely or very nearly
exhausted by the deliveries out of cold
storage within ten months"
Long storage is the exception, the sec
rotary asserts. Warehousemen explained
to the department that excessively long
storage was due to lawsuits and other
circumstances of an uncommercial
nature. The cost of storage, including
storage charge, interest and insurance,
is considered as a barrier to very long
storage.
Effect of Cold Storage.
Cold storage, the secretary reports, has
raised the cost of living by increasing
the annual price level for butter and
eggs.
The secretary says that an examination
OF the record of prices gives a "sus-
picion" that there has been much specu-
lation in some years by the men who
keep commodities in cold storage.
He refers to IAN apparent mistake" of
the storage men in over-estimating tho
consumption of eggs by the public at
exorbitant prices last winter. with the
result that in the spring the storage men
had to sell eggs at remarkably low
prices and send abroad the largest
amount Of eggs ever exported in order
to get rid Of the supply. The secretary
declares that the warehousemen ought
10 be required to send to Washington
each month the amount Of commodities
placed in storage so that the public
may be able to judge OF the future trend
Of prices.
A great variety OF subjects are dealt
with by the secretary in his report Es
says that the day is not far distant
when the United States will cease to
import potash. Florida. Kentucky, Ten
nCssee and Idaho are mentioned as de-
positories.
Recommendation is made that all gov
eminent agencies that conserve health
should be grouped together in one bureau.
The success OF the department in tho
southern states, through object lessons
in the fields, is pronounced to have been
such as to justify the extension Of tho
work to all states.
Corn Crop Moves NOrthward.
The department announces that the
corn crop is moving northward by seed
selection.
The American systems Of renting land
are declared to be faulty and result in
soil robbing. 1t is suggested that domes-
tic animals be kept on farms, even IL
the land owner must furnish them, ana
that there be a rotation Of crops.
Aftef years of experimentation the
department says that Egyptian cotton
can be grown in southern California and
bulbs in the state of Washington.
The crayfish is pronounced to be a serl-
Gus pest in the south. Carbon bisulphide
is said to be a sure remedy.
The finest dates from the Sahara
desert succeed in the southwestern states.
Poultry products for the last year are
estimated to have been worth $75O, 1000 900.
The foresters OF the forestry bureau
are learning by experiments how to re-
forest $1,000 acres In a year. The secre-
tGry says that ten times this much must
be planted annually to cover all the
bare acres In a generation.
I'VE 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 will bring maximum
crops while the land is new and full OF
plant food. But where the crops are sold
year after year irrigation of itself will
not assure good results.