The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1900-03-23
RISE FARM VALUES.

"The improvement i'll agricultural con-
of depression in 1894 6, is as little appre
ciated by the outside public as was the
farmers condition during the hard times.
1T is conservative, however, to say that
the produce of United States farms for the
past year was worth to the farmers over
81 600, ,0O0, 900 more than in any of the de-
pressed years. This is an average advance
of 81 per cent. in values, compared with
the low point
These statements are made by the Ameri
can Agriculturist for March 18th, which
contains an elaborate review of the agri
cultural situation from financial and in
dustrial standpoint. The live stock of the
country is said to be worth 100000, 900
more than during the hard times, or gain
of 3S per. cent. Staple crops are worth
$400, 100000 more than then, while other
crops show an increase of 100000 900 in
value, or gain of 25 per cent, compared
with the depression of "a 6. The pro-
duce of live stock, such as meats, dairy
products, calves, mutton, sheep and lamb
hides and pelts, colts, mules, etc, are said
to show gain of $37O,O00,OOO, or 40 per
cent. above the low point.
"Live stock" says the review, Itself
has advanced nearly or quite as much, and
now exceeds the high point of the rise
that reached its highest point in 80. Even
horses are one third higher than four years
ago. The total value of cattle on farms is
now Al per cent. more than five years ago,
while the average value per head of cattle
has advanced rs per cent. above the low
point of 1895. Mich cows are worth 45
per cent more than in 1852, and their total
| value is SO per cent. greater than in 1896.
''Sheep are higher than for 20 years,
worth about double on the farm what they
| were five years ago, and are fully 20 per
cent. higher than during the early sos.
The total value of sheep in the country is
140 per cent. greater than in 1896. Hogs
have occasionally been worth more than
now, but are selling at high range, espe
cially compared with cheap corn. The
number of hogs is small compared with
the increase of population anc growth of
export trade.
Farm rea! estate deprecated sharply
during the hard times, but has more than
recovered in value, and is now estimated
to be worth 81 ,220, 100000 more than in
1899. The total investment in American
agriculture is now placed at $11, ,550, ,000,-
900, gain of nearly 10 per cent. over the
comparatively high basis of values of 1899.
All these figures look large, but when the
errors in the last agricultural census are
understood and when it is remembered
that the sales of poultry and eggs in the
United States amounts to over S300000, 600
a year the conservative nature of these
estimates can be better undcrstood.'
The American Agriculturist estimates
that the number of farms in the United
States have increased by some 400, 600 dur
ing the past 10 years, against a gain of
nearly 600 900 in the previous decade and
of 100000 from 1870 to 1890, and atfirms
that a larger proportion of these farms
SO per cent.-are occupied by their owners
now than then, while the number of farms
now under mortgage that are occupied by
their owners is no greater than in 1890.
AS near as this authority can get at it, the
amount of mortgages on farms occupied
by their owners is now about $500, ,000, 900
less than at the beginning of the decade
Mortgages now average only about -
per cent. of the farms they are on, it is al
legged. the rate of interest has declined and
the great bulk of mortgages now in force
was incurred to buy the farm or improve it.
Deeming the present session AN inOp-