REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 35 



annual exports of beef products for the last 10 years, including, of 

 •course, the war period. 



BUILD UP OUR DAIRY HERDS. 



Pure-bred or grade dairy cows frequently earn for their owners 

 from 25 to 100 per cent more than the returns received from scrubs. 

 In a typical case, heifers sired by pure-bred bulls surpassed their 

 dams, which were ordinary cows, by 64 per cent in milk production 

 and 52 per cent in butter fat. The second generation produced more 

 than twice as much butter fat and milk as the original animals. The 

 United States holds sixth place-among 14 prominent countries in the 

 average yield of milk per dairy cow, being excelled by the Nether- 

 lands, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, and Canada. Our ability to 

 produce scores of cows which yield more than 20,000 pounds of milk 

 .a 3'ear is ample proof that our national production of less than 4,000 

 pounds per year per animal is, in the last analysis, a reflection of 

 inattention and average lack of applied skill. The dairy cow is a 

 good example — probably the best — because her production is so 

 readily measured and because there is so much uniform evidence in 

 various countries. But the same principle and similar facts apply 

 with equal force to horses, hogs, sheep, poultry, and other farm 

 -animals. 



The experimental and other work of the department, having for 

 its purpose the development and improvement of our live stock, 

 covers a wide range, including dairy farming, hog raising, horse 

 breeding, beef production, sheep raising, poultry production, methods 

 of feeding under regional conditions, and the general principles of 

 breeding and heredity. This work is of fundamental importance 

 . and should be further developed. 



UTILIZATION OP SURPLUS AND WASTE PRODUCTS. 



Along with the work of controlling diseases and insect pests, of 

 introducing and developing better plants, of working out improved 

 • cultural methods and practices, it is essential that processes be worked 

 -out for converting perishable farm products into commodities which 

 can be carried from the season of plenty to the season when they are 

 actually needed. The fact that they can not now be so carried 

 frequently results in the marketing at one time of larger quantities 

 than can be disposed of profitably, and demoralization of the market 

 follows, with consequent loss to the farmers. Industries founded 

 upon the utilization of surplus farm products would be of tremen- 

 dous value in meeting this problem. 



The Bureau of Chemistry has accomplished some important re- 

 sults along this line in recent years. On the basis of its investiga- 

 'tions, for example, there has been developed a citrus by-products in- 



