Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1899 — REPORT BY WILSON. [ARTICLE]

REPORT BY WILSON.

SECRETARY OF AGRICULtURE REVIEWS HIS YEAR S WORK.

Declares There Has Been Progress in the Department-Tree-Planting and Road Building Among Reforms—The Weather Service Has Been Kxtended. Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has made his annual report for 18519. The salient points in connection with each bureau are briefly outlined us follows: Weather Bureau—The extension of the weather bureau service around the Caribbean Sea has been abundantly successful. Division of Chemistry —This division is becoming a necessity to every department of the Government. An interesting inquiry has been made into the change which takes place in th 6 composition of grains grown repeatedly on the same soil. Division of Entomology—Since Dr. Howard has shown owners Of Smyrna tig trees on the Pacific coast how to get the fruit fertilized, 'there is good reason to believe that in a few years we shall obtain onr fine figs from that locality. Division of Botany—The department is gathering information regarding the life history of the plants that supply commerce with India rubber ar.il guttapercha, and should Congress be pleased to give direction, it will seek the plant zoiies in our island possessions where these commodities may be produced. Biological Survey—Plants and animals thrive and produce best where they, are most at home. The biological survey is endeavoring to find tbe most congenial conditions for our plants and animals. Division of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology—The hybridizing of grains is being conducted by the division of vegetable physiology and pathology with a view to securing varieties (rust-resisting, drought-resisting and cold-resisting) better suited to our varied soils and climates. Division of Pomology—This division continues to experiment in many localities throughout the country with fruitbearing trees, plants and vines. For example, 119 varieties of the finer table grapes of Europe have been grafted on Phylloxera-resistant American stocks and sent to Nortfi Carolina and Florida. Division of Forestry—The division of forestry is introducing practical and paying forestry on a large scale among lumbermen and extensive experimentation in tree planting is being conducted with cooperation on the part of those interested in woodcraft in several States. Division of Soils—The irrigation farmer of the West is being helped by the mapping and extending investigation of alkali soils and by the reclamation of injured,or abandoned land, many acres of which have become sterile throught the injudicious use of water. Division of Agrostology—Cropping reduces the organic material in the soil. Long-continued cropping renders the soil unproductive. Grasses and legumes are the best agencies for restoring this organic matter. The division of agrostology is experimenting with home and foreign grasses and legumes. Office of Experiment Stations —Co-op-eration between the department and the experiment stations becomes closer every year. Assistance from the States is increasing and the farmers of the several States are appreciating their station work more and more. Experimentation in Alaska has begun with congressional aid.> Office of Public Road Inquiries—There is great interest at the present time in the public highways of the country. Extensive experimentation is being conducted by the department in co-operation with local authorities in building sample roads from the materials found in different localities, and in the laying of steel track. Division of Publications —During the year 003 publications were issued and over 7,000,000 copies distributed among the people. Section of Foreign Markets —Shows rapid growth of American commerce in nil parts of the world. We continue to sell raw material to foreign countries from which they manufacture high-sell-ing articles. Bureau of Animal Industry—The work of this bureau increases rapidly. Meat inspection was conducted last year at 138 abattoirs in forty-one cities. The ante-

inspections were 53,223,176, while the number in 1892 was 3,809,459. The third year of experimentation with hog cholera shows that from 75 to 80 per cent of hogs injected with serum are saved. Division of Statistics—Fifty thousand crop reporters keep the diyision of statistics informed regarding the condition of our staple crops and every effort is being made to prothptly give the people the facts as they are found. Gardens and Grounds —The grounds of the department and its extensive greenhouses serve a useful purpose, more than 100,000 plants and bulbs, all of economic value, having been distributed during the year by the superintendent. The Secretary then reviews in some detail the work of the several bureaus, divisions and offices of the department. He lays stress on the great services reudered by the weather bureau to commerce and agriculture and by the bureau of animal industry to the stock growers of the country. He makes a strong plea for the wide extensions of the forestry work, for which he urges greatly increased appropriations. He dwells at some length on the losses due to the injudicious nse of water in alkali lands of the irrigated regions and pleads for a special appropriation of SIO,OOO for the investigation of the subject. Mueh work has also been undertaken on behalf of tobacco, looking to as wide a substitution as possible of home grown for imported product, by Improving the quality of the former. He congratulates the country on the increasing co-operation between the department and the State experiment stations in many Hues of important work, and strongly urges special appropriations to establish agricultural experiment statlops in Hawaii, the Philippine Islands and Porto Rico. 4 */