Show report of the secretary of agriculture for 1913 washington D 0 doc 8 dmd F houston secretary of AS ri culture today published hia annual report for the sear 1910 alie report which contains only 53 pages differs from previous reports in that insaf of merely reviewing the ag situation it presents in summary many broad economic questions throughout the report strong emphasis is placed upon cooperation between the department of agriculture and other federal departments and the state agricultural agencies to promote coordination and eliminate duplication of effort the keynote is getting the departments information in all felds more directly and in more valuable form to the people it deals with tho problem of pro increases in eions arc asked for several purpose puns for reorganizing the department are presented a system of promotion based on efficiency 19 advocated voca ted changes in the weather bureau arc proposed cooperation with alie to test the practicability of an annual census of acreage and stock through hie rural route carriers lias been effected prosecutions under the food and drug act and other statutes are to be made more effective marketing of the farmers products attention as alo does rural credits other rural organization problems are considered attention will iw given to disease transmitting insects such as alie house fly stable fly and spotted fever tick the value of soil survey work will alx lx enhanced the farm woman comes in for a large share of attention relations with colleges and stations is discussed as is also alie crop outlook and power and recreational permits in national forests regarding federal road policies the report davs as follows there has been a steady movement for better roads during the past twenty vears and today about ja stites hive highway commissions or csome other state highway agency the total annual expenditure of the states for construction and maintenance of roads which ten 5 cars ago amount ed to but hag grown to in 1912 the federal government should take the lead in investigational and experimental work and there is need for a central agency can furnish the best information on all problems of road building and maintenance re congress made an lion of for improving post loads expenditure to be on alie of double the amount of money by the state or local subdivision if federal aid is to bo further extended in highway development legislation to that end should incorporate this cooperative principle the federal govern ment should deal with alie state as the lowest unit through an highe ay as its agency the plan should provide for maintenance ns well as construction preference should bo given to the improvement of roads over wind products from the farms can 10 taken to the railway station A scheme of road construction and within a state should be developed and mutually upon money appropriated bv alie federal government should be ap portioned on the basis of such fact ors is cotil population farm population area taxable valuation and mileage |