The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-11-01
Agricultural Growth.

The increase and progressive growth
Of all articles of agricultural production
within the last twenty years is really q
marvel. II any reader will take the
patience aud time to scan this article,
he will find many items fairly enor-
nous SO -tfn' ~. 'fl' 800 -'l
Wine has increased fourteen fold
| since 1850, and nearly doubled in the
last decade, California being its chief
producer. -'o5o an--
Hops have increased seven fold in the
same time and more than doubled III
the last ten years, New York growing
two-taIrds Of the whole crOy.
Barley has increased six fold.
Flax six fold, and fiaxseed treblej.
Wheat trebled and oats doubled.
Irish potatoes have only increased
one-third and sweet decreased one-haIf
Live stock has trebled III value, and
now amounts to the handsome total of
one thousand and five hundred and
twenty-five million of dollars, or an
average of nearly two hundred dollars
for every family in the nation.
Animals slaughtered have nearly
quadrupled in value, now amounting
to four hundred millions Of dollars an
nually. --
Wool has increased from sixty to one
hundred million of pounds. ..ar.4
Cotton is half million of bales above
what 1t WAS in 1850, and three-fifths of
! its amount in 1850.
In only one instance is there de-
crease Of an important product; and
that is in Indian corn. which falls
short Of the amount reported in 1850
by seventy-eight millions of bushels, or
ten per cent. of the whole.
In some OF the lesser products, how
ever, the downcOme is incOnsiderable
Silk cocoons are only third of their
former amount; hemp a sixth; peas
and beans and rice about third each.
Buck wheat has decreased from seven
teen millions of bushels to 9. and rye
twenty one millions OF bushels to six
teen. .. e.f..t..
The farms themselves, as may he ex.
pected from this great increase of pro-
duct, have risen IN value from three to
nine millions OF dollars, while farming
implements valued in 1910 at Sl5l ST.
638, now foot up 1896, 87S, 429-an annual
increase of nine millions of dollars.
Few minds can form even the remOtest
conception of what these numbers i'm.
ply. The value of the farms i'm dollar
bills would take al expert accountant,
capable of getting over one hundred
minute, five hundred years to count
them or, if Communists and Interna-
tiOnals have their way, and their value
was divided equally among the whole
people, it would afford ST 900 to each
family, in addition to the million or
two which would be sure to stick to the
hands of the dividers. rro
The farms have considerably in
creased in number, but diminished in
size from one hundred and ninety-nine
to one hundred and fifty-three |
three acres, being on an average fifty
acres each less than in 1850. This de.
crease extends to every division in the
Union save fOur-Arkansas,M assachu- |
setts. NewHampshire and New Mexico. |
Ofthe present number of farms (2,659,- |
1851 six thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five are under three acres.
Those with more than ten acres and !
less than five hun red have increased /;
those with less than ten acres decreased !
in number one sixth of the whole are
over one hundred acres and under five
hundred but the largest number (874,-
6H} contained between ten and fifty |
acres.-Indepeadent.