Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 1899)
8 'Cbc Conservative * ItKI'OKT OF TIIK SKCKKTAKY OF AGKICUI/TUKK FOK 181M ) . Secretary Wilson begins his annual report with a "Summary , " in which he briefly refers to one or two salient features in connection with each bureau , division , and office of the department , ns follows : "Weather Bureau The extension of the weather bureau service around the Caribbean Sea has been abundantly successful in noting the first indications of cyclones , forcasting their movements , and giving timely warning to our navy , to merchant vessels at sea , and to pro ducers and others interested on laud. Division of Chemistry This division is becoming a necessity to every depart ment of the government in the making of chemical analyses. Foods are inves tigated , preservatives of all kinds examined , sugar beets analyzed , etc. An interesting inquiry has been made into the change which takes place in the composition of grains grown repeatedly on the same soil. Division of Entomology Since Doctor Howard has shown owners of Smyrna fig 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 our fine figs from that locality. Investigation by this division shows that house flies and mosquitoes may be greatly reduced by removing the propa gating conditions. Division of Botany The department is gathering information regarding the life history of the plants that supply commerce with India rubber and gutta- percha , and should congress be pleased to give direction , it will seek the plant zones in our island possessions where these commodities may be produced. The United States now pays $30,000,000 annually for rubber. We import be tween four and five million dollars' worth of Egyptian cotton annually. Experimentation indicates strongly that , on suitable soil properly cultivated , this article can bo grown here. Biological Survey Plants and animals thrive and produce best where they are most at home. The biological survey is endeavoring to find the most congenial conditions for our plants and animals. Division of Vegetable Physiology anc Pathology The hybridizing of grains is being conducted by the division of vege table physiology and pathology , with i view to securing varieties ( rust-resisting drought-resisting , and cold-resisting ! better suited to our varied soils anc climates. Hybridization will also be applied in the immediate future to cot ton , and efforts are now being made to get a hardier orange tree by the same process. The diseases of plants in the several states , including a serious fun gous disease affecting sea-island cotton and the diseases of fruit trees are also being studied. Division of Pomology This division continues to experiment in many locali * > . ies throughout the country with fruit- jearing trees , plants and vines. For xaniple , 119 varieties of the finer table grapes of Europe have been grafted on 3hylloxera-resistaut American stocks and sent to North Carolina and Florida. Special work is being done on the Pacific east to get more definite data regard- ng the adaptability of varieties to that ocality. Division of Forestry The division of 'orestry is introducing practical and mying forestry on a large scale among umbermen , and extensive experimenta- iou in tree-planting is being conducted , vith cooperation on the part of those uterested in woodcraft in the several tates. Division of Soils The irrigation farmer of the West is being helped by he mapping and extended investigation of nlkali soils and by the reclamation of njured or abandoned land , many acres of which have become sterile through the injudicious use of water. Division of Agrostology Cropping re duces 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 agros- ; elegy is experimenting with home and foreign grasses and legumes in all sec- Ions of our country , to build up worn- out soils in some cases and to introduce useful varieties in others. Office of Experiment Stations Co operation 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. Experi mentation in Alaska has begun with congressional aid. This work should be extended to Hawaii , Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands , so that they may be enabled to supply the United States with tropical products , our importations of which amount to over two hundred million dollars annually. 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 cooperation 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 G03 publications were issued anc over 7,000,000 copies distributed among the people. Of the Farmers' Bulletins 2,487,000 copies were printed and dis tributed , which did not meet the ful demand. Section of Foreign Markets Show rapid growth of American commerce in all parts of the world. We continue to sell raw material to foreign countries from which they manufacture high selling articles. Trade regulations ar prohibitory against American meats in ome European countries where impor- atious of cheap grains from which meats are made are encouraged. The American farmer can not afford to exert - ) ort nitrogenous grains or mill feeds for ; his purpose. Bureau of Animal Industry The work of this bureau increases rapidly. Meat nspection was conducted last year at 88 abattoirs in 41 cities. The ante- uiortem inspections were 53,228,170 , while the number in 1892 was 8,809,459. ? he third year of experimentation with log cholera shows that from 75 to 80 per cent of hogs injected with serum are aved. Encouraging results have "come from the introduction of dairy products ute foreign markets. The department ends shipments abroad for the purpose of ascertaining the facts regarding such products ; these facts are published , and ommerce naturally follows. Division of Statistics Fifty thousand crop reporters keep the division" of statistics informed regarding the condi- ion of our staple crops , and every effort s being made to promptly give the ) eople 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 dis tributed during the year by the superin tendent. This official is now prepared to supply tea plants for experimentation in the Gulf States. Seed Distribution The department in the distribution of seeds is aiming to conform to the original spirit of the law by the importation and distribution of what is rare and valuable. 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 rendered by the weather bureau to com merce and agriculture , and by the bureau of animal industry to the stock growers of the country. He makes a strong plea for the wide extension of the forestry work , for which he urges greatly increased appropriations. He dwells at some length on the losses due to the injudicious use of water in alkali lands of the irrigated regions , and pleads for a special appropriation of $10,000 for the investigation of the subject. Much 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. Interesting in vestigations as to the causes affecting flavor and aroma are being carried on. He congratulates the country on the increasing cooperation between the department and the state experiment stations in many lines of important work , and strongly urges special appro priations to enable the secretary of agriculture to establish agricultural