New Britain herald., 1915-12-15
HOUSTON SUBMITS
 ANNUAL REPORT
Agricultural Exports Show Big
 Increase for First Year Of War

yesterday places an estimate of $9,- S73,000,00O on the value of American farm crops and animal products for last year, valuation. without prece' dent. This, however, probably will be 1 eclipsed by the present years show i ing.
 l This valuation is an increase of 1 about $S3,000,0OO over the value of l 1913, hitherto ever recorded. The increase occurred in the face of a dealing in cotton from 12.5 cents pound for the 1913 crop to an aver age of 7.3 cents for 1914. The total value of the 1913 cotton crop, esti- mated at 6,0O0,Ooo, was $2s3,O0O,- 900 more than the 1914 crop, although the latter was fourteen per cent. l greater in quantity. . Represent Farm Products. Of the tremendous flood of exports which began near the end of the fiscal year covered by the secretary's re- port, many hundreds of millions rep l resent farm products.
 l Between August 1, 1914, and Feb ruary 1. 1915," the report says, "ex- ports were $1, 57,O0O,0OO was imports l $771,O00,000, giving a favorable bal ance of $3S6,000,00O, of the total value of exports, $662,0O0,0OO repre- sented agricultural and only $49S,- 100000 non-agricultural commodi- 1 ties, chiefly manufactures
 Agricultural Exports.
 The total agricultural exports in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1915, practically the first year of the war, were $1,470,000,00O, which is an in- crease of 56,o0O,00O, or 32 per cent. over the average of the five years 1910-1914."
 l what Is needed more, perhaps than anything else, the secretary says is an increase in meat animals. To that end, the department has extend- ed it's activities as far as it's funds would permit. Elimination of com mon livestock diseases from which losses are said to be enormous. would result in @ material increase of the meat supply.
 212,OOO,OOO Losses. Tt. has been conservatively esti mated" the report continues, lon tn, ,. basis of data for thirty years, that tn, annual direct losses from animal dis eases are approximately $212.000,0 ,00O The indirect losses, which also ar < great, cannot be estimated at all. Tn direct loss ascribed to each disease i , as follows:
 = Hog cholera, $75,O0O,OOO; Texa = fever and cattle ticks, $40,OOO,OO0; tn l berculosis, $25,0O0,OOO; contagiou = abortion, $20,000,00O; blackleg, $6, r 100000; anthrax, $1,5OO,OOO; scabie S of sheep and cattle, $4,60O,O0O; gland ] CTS. $5,000,O00; other livestock dis t eases, $22,c00,O0o; parasites, $5,OOO
 900; poultry diseases, $8,75O,OOO"
 Citrus Fruit Industry.
 The citrus fruit industry of the Gu, y states, the report asserts, is seriousl n threatened by citrus canker, a high 7. ly infectious bacterial disease Whi] e the greater number of infected center = in Texas, Mississippi and Alabam e have been eliminated, complete erad 5. cation of the disease from Louisian t and Florida, the department believe y will require large expenditures for a G least two years.
 It The potash situation, the repo It states, continues serious. There e practically no potash available fc n fertilizer and indications are that tn d supply for that purpose will not be il l. creased materially next year.
 Legislation Recommended.
 Recommendations for legislatic made by Secretary Houston to Col ~ gress include the following: Legislation designed to promo a better handling' and storage of far 70 products and trading on the basis fixed grades and standards includir lo permissive warehouse act, cottt S | standards act, a grain grades act, al 9e provision for market-news service 1s A land mortgage banking act i .o tended to inject business methods in 'o handling farm finance and to pla
 farm securities upon the market in - responsible way.
 Assistance to communities near t.
 national forests in road building al similar improvements through a pl
 involving the advancement of fun
 against the states future share of r
 ceipts from the forests.
 Water Power Permits.
 Authority to grant water power pc
 mits within the national forests
 fixed periods.
 More effective control over the pr
 duction of hog cholera serum A pl
 involving the establishment by t
 federal government of a station f
 testing all serum intended for shi
 ment in interstate commerce, is O, . lined.