Show N 4 4 t J I I. I Our fur Weekly Washington LetterA Letter A f F WAGING WAR WAn I ON OX I PLANT LANT AND DIBE A MF Fa Wrt Washington Jan The The work of combating insect pests and nd plant diseases which annually destroy sail mil lions of or dollars worth of Amerl American an agricultural and forest products conspicuous part In th the played a very activities of the United States Department Department Depart Depart- ment of ture during the last year Among the major pests peats that th the department waged war against t were the cotton bollworm and European corn borer horer gypsy tall brown moths and t the e Japanese bettle bottle The bollworm fight was conducted conducted con con- conducted belt ducted of course In the cotton The torn corn borer sector of activities was In New Engl England nd and New York and the gypsy moth as all al also O was waa tall brown mouth although these two pests appeared in some localities In New Jersey and Pennsylvania The Tho more ort Important nt plant diseases which the department combated were the potato wart white pine blister buster rust and ond citrus canker It Is la Impossible impossible impossible sible to estimate accurately the amount of damage done done by these pests and diseases but It Is la known that the loss will run Into nto hundreds of minions millions of dol are annually YI At present the department has in force 22 foreign and 16 domestic tines alm aimed d at controlling and preventing preventing preventing pre pre- peats pests ant diseases venting these AMERICA THE TIIE IDE LAND OF CORN Corn Com ia ts produced in eve every state In Inthe Inthe inthe the Union production ranging from around bushels a a year in Nevada Neada Nevada Ne Ne- vada ada to over bushels in to Iowa according to to reports of the United States Department of Agriculture Agri Arl culture DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STRESSES STUFF FOOD DIVISION One of the activities of the Department Depart Depart- Department ment of Commerce which la Is being stressed and developed und under r the direction direction di di- of 01 Secretary Secreta Hoover la Is that relating to Under Secretary secreta Hoover a special d on exporting foodstuffs has baa been organized Week y cable dispatches dispatches dis die patches from abroad on agricultural marketing service selce are now being aa as an aid to producers and dealers This matter Is ia being released released re re- leased to farm Journals and newspapers newspapers pers pens which reach about people Special attention Is ia being pallid by this department t to the farmers farmers farmers' farm fann ers' ers cooperative association so that they may center their efforts in to producing producing producing pro pro- the kind of products that are area needed In d different markets standardize standardize stand stand- Its quality and see that It t is shipped where there is a demand for forto it to NEGROES IMPROVE I FARMING ARlING Sixteen years ago the first negro negro agricultural demon demonstration stratton was employed employed em work on extension played to carry among negro farmers According to reports to the United States Slates Department Department Depart Depart- Department ment of Agriculture ture there are now negro men and women agents under whose d more than 14 negro farmers and their fames famil- famil les ea es are following approved practices In farming and home making WAR WAn D. D DEPARTMENT ARTI MELTS HEMS ROADS Approximately worth of road building machinery and othor other oth oth- er or supplies from the surplus war material of the army 30 motor vehicles have been al to the Bureau Dureau of Public Roads This material of ot which approximately raa ras been delivered deliver states ed has as enabled enabled many of the states to and equip maintenance divisions to patrol the entire e state road system INSECTS ADD TO COST COSTOl Ol OP LIVING Although the average person does doe not pay pay any attention to insects which the Injury inJury injury in- in trees prey upon plants and Jury done by these pests contributes not a e a to the high costs of ot living This Is evidenced by a bulletin Just Issued by the Department of Agriculture Agriculture Agri Agri- culture upon those insects which prey on apple trees and apples There are 60 different rl ties of such insect In in- In Insect sect pests and they en entail taU an annual loss of at least to the apple crop To this amount shoud d be added the loss of trees which in infected orchards Is very high The bulletin states every year the loss lose to the apple crop due to insects Is not loss than ten lep per cent of the total crop value and frequently runs as high as 20 per cent O NEARLY RIN BI SENT NT OUT OUTON ON J COUNTRY IN I P. P O. O MONEY IONI According to the records of of the Post department Within a few thousand of were sent out of this country last lut year through postal money orders to foreign coun coun- tries The largest amount was sent gent toros to ros residents dents of Great Gl Britain Japan oame came next and Mexico third The amount of money sent to Great Brittain Brit Brit- lain tain was about half of the amount sent out of the country U U. H. H INSPECTION R EXTENDS TO HOARD Un VESSELS TIle The United d States Department of oi f fArl Arl Agriculture has established a federal Inspection of food on all United States Shipping Hoard Board vessels Ap Approximately proximately y pounds of fruit and vegetables vee bles alone are consumed each ooch month on the tho vessels In to the ser ser- vice Arrangements are also underway underway under way to have federal food inspection nf or food consumed In army arny and navy hospitals The Tho food toad inspection service of the Department of has reached enormous i proportions It II has haa 30 stations in operation at Important Important Im lIu port ant terminal markets During the thelast thelast thelast last year rear the tho Inspections reached a total t of This U is for fruit and es alone H I W HI The rhe bootleg liquor business has hu I brought about a tremendous Increase In tn the counterfeiting business ac al according ec cording to the testimony of W II H. Moran Chief Chef of tho the Untied United States Secret Service before the House Committee Com Corn an A Appropriations pro According to La Mr Mt Moran the bootlegger is en en- in defrauding both the person from whom he purchases s his hla supplies and the persons persona to whom he ho sells them To those from whom he ho makes purchases he counter felt money and to those who are his customers he tells sells counterfeit liquor The only bit of poetic justice in tn these transactions Is la the fact that those who get the counterfeit money in re return return reo re- turn for counterfeit have haYe no legitimate kick coming The knowledge know know- ledge of this fact prevents the government government govern govern- ment amount of ot evidence any great FRANCE BENDING EVERY EI EFFORT ORT TO RAISE ENOUGH WHEAT 1 FOR OR OWN USE Reports to the Department of Commerce COmmerce Commerce Com COm- merce and the Department of Agriculture Agriculture ture show that France in fn common other European countries Is to bending every effort to become self self- lup supporting as as' asto to food products Under Under Un Un- der the d direction of the French government government gov gov- there thero has Just been held beld in Paris Parla a wheat week at which rep rep- representatives from all the wheat pro of France assembled for the discussion of ways and means making of France Franco Independent of all foreign cereal cerea import Last year France made a drive to accomplish this and came very nry ne nearly succeeding As Aa Asa a result of the conference this year It Is le believed that in fn 1923 France will raise all the wheat she needs This may be accomplished in two ways waya First by reducing the acreage acreage acre acre- age of vineyards Inasmuch as pro pro- to m the United States and in I other countries has bas greatly decreased ed the demand for French wines It ItIs Itla itis Is la believed that land now devoted to vineyards may be more y employed in rat raMIng wheat and other cereals thus thu cutting down French Imports reducing her adverse balance balance bal bal- ance of trade and making her er eel self self- supporting Another proposal la Is to develop wheat growing rowing In Albet Albe Alberta a a French colony |