Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-12
.EALTHOF THEFARM
Secretary Of Agriculture Says the
Farmer is Making Money.
G0ODCROpS AND GOOD PRICES PREVAIL
Meats Are Likely to Roman High :
Beet Sugar Industry Being Devei-
oped-Corn Yield Beats
the Records

Chicago, Oct. 11.-"This years corn
crop will be one of the largest in our
history" said Secretary of Agriculture
James Wilson, while in Chicago with
the presidential party. 1.-The total yield
it is estimated, will be between twenty
three and twenty-five hundred millions
of bushels. There will be plenty for
manufacturing and feeding and we will
have all the corn to sell that anybody
wants to buy. To what extent the
crop will be shipped abroad will de-
pend largely upon the price it will
bring. The high prices offered for
meats will incline the farmers to use
their crop for feeding purposes Con-
tinuing on the prospects for good pric-
.es, Secretary Wilson said:
where stock is to be found the corn
will be fed, unless the price be high. A
considerable percentage of the crop
will be cribbed, as the farmers gener-
ally are we'll off and are getting good
prices for their products, so they can
afford to hold their corn crop.
Meats are likely to be high because
the American workingman is buying
freely from the good wages he is re-
ceiving. Another reason which makes
me look for high prices in meats is the
fact that in the last few years our pop
ulation has grown faster than the mea:
producing animals. Then. iniudicious
grazing on the seni-arid regions of
the West has been destructive, and
many of those range states do not
have over so per cent of the animals
they had fifty years ago. A steady de-
mand outside of the United States fo2
first-class meats in the quarter aud on
the hoof, and a growing demand, not
only across the Atlantic. but in Tie
countries in and around the Pacitic Tor
American canned meats is playing an
important part in influencing high
prices. The demand is growing in the
Orient for animal products, and grow
ing rapidly.
"The British in the Transvaal war,
should it occur, will want our canned
meats. They cannot use our refriger-
ator meats over there and in order to
feed their soldiers as well as the Unit
ed States feeds hers they will have to
take the quarters TO the Cape of Good
Hope in refrigerating vessels and then
establish q plant for caring for chilled
meats similar to the one of the United
States All Manila. They must have can
ned meats and they must come to
Chicago to get them.
"All this talk we have heard about
embalmed beef will not change this
order of feeding troops. They may
| avoid the kinds that do not nave salt
| in them, known as canned roast beef,
and this may result in salt being used
in this preparation, but the fact re-
mains that armies require canned
where they cannot get chilled beef.
The United States is the only country
prepared TO supply it, and the growing
demand for it in all quarters of the
globe will help to keep up the price of
meats"
Secretary Wilson says the wheat crop
will not equal that of last year, but
that this falling has been doubly made
up in the products. Speaking OF
wheat he said:
THE statisticans of the department
of agriculture have not yet made their
estimates, but the crop of the United
/ States will be over 10O,00O.0OO bushels
short. The crop of foreign countries
will be 3oO,00o.00O bushels less than
last year. In this country the severe
winter caused the decrease. Sooner or
later this shortage will tell on prices
Understand me, | do not pretend tc
definitely fix the shortage in the Unit,
| ed States"
The secretary is well pleased with
the growth of foreign trade, on which
point he said:
"The department has been inquirine
into the growth of our trade in the
| China seas and around the Pacific, with
tiattering results. Our total trade from
Pacific ports ten years ago was 90
100000; five years ago it was 41,0o0,O0t
and one year ago IT was $73 100000. Oh