Year: 1868

General Capron, Commissioner of Agricul-
tare, has submitted to the President his report
for the year ending November, 1868. The fol-
owing is an abstract of the more important
points in his report:


He takes strong ground against the renewal
of the reciprocity treaty, and protests against
any arrangement for admitting untaxed or low
priced Canadian productions free of duty, or at
q lower rate than is provided for in the exist
ing law regulating the tariff upon similar i'm
ports from other naGi0na1itles. He says that
farmers ask no f5vors, but demand equality in
taxation and in exemption from the burdens of
taxation. The treaty would bear with peculiar
hardship on the wool growing interest, and lead
to q burdensome competition in all farm pro-
ducts. The system of agricultural colleges is
yet in its infancy and much difficulty is expe-
rienced in getting competent men for their
management, but the commissioner believes
that these schools will ultimately prove power
full colaborers with his department in advanc.
ing the agricultural interests of the country.
He finds matter of general encouragement in
the fact that more stable views and systematic
practice with respect to farming are beginning
to prevail throughout the country; that there
is a laudable disposition in the South to pro-
duce meat and bread, and hold cotton as a sur
plus; that farming is now held in greater es-
TEEN than it was few years ago; that western
farmers are learning to practice rotation in
crops. He alludes to the morbid tendency in



CRATE to Mexico, Central America and Brazil,
and says that he has done all he could to coun-
teract it; that the discordant social and busi-
ness elements are being tranquilized that
northern capitalists are beginning to seek an
entrance to the Southern States, and that
things generally down there are much more
promising than they were last year. The COM
missioner speaks at length on the subject OF
cattle diseases, showing what has been done
by his department in this direction during the
year. He estimates that at least fifty millions
of dollars worth of farm stock are lost annual
ly by diseases for which no sure remedy has
vet been discovered. He says that he will make
full special report on this subject during the
winter, and recommends the establishment of
division of veterinary surgery in connection
with the department, and for the investigation
into and the prevention of the diseases of do
mestic animals. Among his other recommen-
dations is one for a small special appropriation
try the chincona tree, from which quinine and
Peruvian bark are obtained.


The figures OF the report show that the crops
for the year have been very good. The yield
of wheat is estimated at 220,000,0 900 bushels; of
corn at 9O0O000O0 bushels. He thinks that
fully $40,0000O0 worth of cotton has been des-
troyed by the worm, but that we shall still
show yield of from 100000 to 23000 900 bales.
The whole seed business has been reformed
since tue present commissioner came into Of
fee, and hereafter there will be distributed
only new and valuable seeds, and efforts will
be made to get those into the hands of persons
who will use them for the benefit of the agri-
cultural interests. The distribution of COM
mon seeds that can readily be obtained in
market has been stopped.