Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1898 — FRUITS OF THE FIELD [ARTICLE]

FRUITS OF THE FIELD

SECRETARY WILSON’S ANNUAL REPORT. Head of the Department of Agriculture Discusses Various Subjects with Which He Has Had to Deal In His Official Capacity. The Secretary of Agriculture, in his annual report, presents some considerations relating to the general work of the department which serve as the basis for special recommendations and explain more fully, the estimates already presented for' the ensuing fiscal year. On the practicability of exporting dairy products, Secretary Wilson says it is not commercially profitable to send butter to Europe just now, as the home demand at present absorbs the supply. For the purpose of obtaining for dairymen all the facts relating to the export of this article, the department sent an agent to Paris to ascertain what encouragement there would be to ship butter to that port, and an agent to Hamburg to ascertain the facts regarding customs duties, as well as prohibition and other difficulties that might meet exporters of butter to Germany. It was found that no line of steamers sailing to French ports direct could furnish refrigerator space, so shipments could not be made during hot weather. Whenever our home supply of finest butter exceeds the home demand it can he profitably sent to both France and Germany. The American farmer is now selling cheap grains and mill feeds to the European dairymen, who meet us in European markets with products made from raw material furnished by us. But there is no reason to believe that there i% a growing tendency toward the consumption of grains and mill feeds at home and exporting the products of skill and intelligence. Growing Trade in the East. The trade in American farm products is growing in the China seas, and in order that markets may be opened up in Japan, China and other countries of the Pacific, ocean, an agent is now in that region establishing agencies, to which the department will make trial shipments and gather all information possible for the American producer. The Secretary recommends the extension and adoption of the provisions of the law regarding the inspection and certification of means and meat products for export, so as to make them apply to butter and cheese. The brands of “pure butter” and “full-cream cheese” should then be affixed by United States inspectors to such products as come up to the required standard of quality. This would place the good butter and cheese of this country in foreign markets under the identifying label and guaranty of the United States Government. The dairy products of Denmark and Canada, which are the chief competitors of the United States in the markets of Great Britain, bear the inspection certificate and guaranty of quality from their respective governments. The Secretary enlarges upon tfie need of nature teaching in the common schools. Ho says that there is a growing interest in education that relates to production, and all classes of intelligent people favor it. More knowledge by the farmer of what he deals with every day would enable him to control conditions, produce more from an acre, and contribute more to the general welfare. The Secretary calls attention to the necessity of his department undertaking an investigation of the agricultural conditions of the insular dependencies of the United States, emphasizing the fact that the department should ns soon as possible put itself in a position to extend to the producers of these new regions, largely dependent for their prosperity upon agriculture, the benefits which it now admittedly confers upon our own farmers. lie also advises the careful study of the insect pests and plant diseases in these islands, with a view not only of discovering preventives or remedies, but of guarding against their introduction into the United States. The report then reviews at length the operations of the several bureaus, divisions and offices of the department, reports of some of which have already been made public. In conclusion. Secretary Wilson expresses the opinion that a review of this work for the past year shows it to have been one of satisfactory growth and development.