X REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



one-half of which will, at no distant period of time, be grown in the 

 United States; the other half is the product of such climates as prevail 

 in our new island possessions. It is the privilege and duty of the 

 Department of Agriculture to teach the people of those islands to pro- 

 duce what we now buv from tropical countries, that they ma}' have 

 incomes to help toward their growth in all desirable directions. 



The topics discussed in the reports of the Bureaus, Divisions, and 

 Offices of the Department are indicated in the following brief para- 

 graphs* 



SUMMARY. 



The Weather. — The Weather Bureau has established cooperation 

 with Europe in the interchange of weather forecasts. The farmer in 

 the country is receiving his weather forecasts with his mail through 

 rural free delivery. Progress is being made in perfecting wireless 

 telegraphy. 



Animal Industry. — Our animals are the healthiest in the world.^ 

 and the people at home and abroad are protected by the inspection of 

 meats in 51 cities and 156 abattoirs. Exports of animals and animal 

 products amount to $253,000,000. Imported animals are inspected. 

 Animal diseases are being eradicated by serums and vaccines sent out 

 from the Department. State restriction of interstate traffic in live 

 stock is in the courts. 



Plant Industry.- — The diseases of cotton and other plants are being 

 investigated. Plant breeding to obtain forms that will resist disease 

 and be better adapted to new and changed conditions is being success- 

 fully carried on. A new method of cultivating and distributing the 

 seeds of bacteria that cooperate with leguminous plants in developing 

 nitrogen has been discovered. Antidotes for many poisonous plants 

 have been found. Improved methods of curing grass seeds have been 

 put in operation. Experiments with clover seeds show the superiority 

 of the American over the foreign kinds. Tropical agriculture is being 

 studied and the people of our island possessions are being taught bet- 

 ter methods of growing coffee and other plants. The improvement of 

 grasses on the Western ranges is being studied. Cooperation is had 

 with most of the experiment stations about the countiy. Markets for 

 our fruits are being successfully opened in foreign countries. The 

 hop, prune, and other industries of the Pacific coast are being helped 

 b}' the Department's investigations and importations. The Arlington 

 farm is being brought into condition for use. Satisfactoiy results are 

 being obtained from tea cultivation. Macaroni wheats are being suc- 

 cessfulh' grown in our semiarid localities. Superior barlej's for cojn- 

 mercial purposes have been introduced. Egj'ptian cottons are being 

 successfully grown, and the importation of the date palm has been a 

 success. The Congressional seed distribution has been reorganized. 



Soils. — The Bureau of Soils is a necessity to find suita])lo soils for 

 the new plants introduced, as well as the soils most suitable for our 

 staple crops. Sumatra tobacco is being successfull}' grown in the 

 Connecticut Valley and in Florida. Experimentation is being con- 

 ducted in Pennsylvania in the growing of Havana filler tobacco, and 

 this will l)e extended to Ohio, Texas, and the island possessions. The 

 growers of the several fruits, table vegetal )los, and sugar beets, both 



