Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1897 — SECRETARY WILSON'S WORK. [ARTICLE]

SECRETARY WILSON'S WORK.

A Year’s Operations of the Agrl* cultural Department. Secretary Wilson has presented hit report to the President reviewing the operations of the Department of Agriculture for the past year. The most important recommendation made by him is one that agents for the department should be stationed at each of our more important American embassies for the collection of information of interest to American farmers. Referring to this subject, he says: “We are endeavoring to get information from foreign countries with which we compete in the markets j>t the world, regarding crops and prices. We are also taking steps to ascertain what crops are grown on different thermal lines so that seeds and plnuts may intelligently be brought to this country to assist in the diversification of our crops and add to therr variety. There is necessity for American agents in every foreign country to which we send representatives, who have had education in the sciences relating to agriculture. The agricultural colleges endowed by Congress are educating along these lines.” The Secretary refers to the efforts of the department to extend the foreign markets for our dairy and live stock products, which he thinks can be done by making the foreigners familiar with them. Instead of sending abroad for seeds he say* the policy in the’future will be “to encourage the iptroductioiu of such seed* as will enable our people to diversify their crops and keep money at home that is now sent abroad to buy what the United States should produce.” Mr. Wilson says the department will continue its pioneer work in the encouragement of the sugar beet and expresses the opinion that the country will within a few years raise all the sugar it requires. He expresses the opinion that nearly all of the 8382,000,000 sent abroad last year for sugar, hides, fruits, wines, animals, rice, flax, hemp, cheese, wheat, barley, beans, eggs and silk might have been kept at home. He nlso thinks Vh e United dtntes should grow their own chicory, castor beans, lavender, licorice, mustard, opium, etc. With leference to horses the Secretary says: “The American farmer can grow horses as cheaply as he can grow cattle. We have a heavy and profitable export trade in cattle and may have on export trade equally heavy and profitable in horses. The department is gathering facts regarding our horse industry at home and the requirements of purchaser* abroad, so that our farmers can learn what foreign buyers demand.” The most important work in which the animal industry bureau lias'been engaged is, he says, that looking to the destruction of tbe cattle tick, for which, it is believed, that an agent has been found in a petroleum product known as paraffin oil, in which infected cattle are dipped. The extension of the meat inspection to abottoirs engaged in interstate business is recommended, as is the continuance of the inspection of export animals in prder to maintain the market which has been secured for them in other countries. The Secretary criticises the present system of crop reporting. He says it is extremely cumbersome. He recommends the employment of a principal statistical agent in each State.