The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-13
A GOOD YEAR FOR FARMERS
A Summing Up Of the Seasons
Principal Crops.
AN ENORMOUS YIELD OF CORN

Year, But Farmers Have . Lot OF the
Old Crop In Their Barns aad Control
tho Market.MilIiona OF Prsats Esti-
ma.ed-cot.on Crop Outlook.
Wichita. Kan.-Wheat has all been
harverted in the United States. corn
has ,asselled and ripened beyond the
eanger Of a burning drouth. rye and
barley, oats and millet are likewise
safe for the year 1902. Consequently
the farmers are beginning to look
around to "see where they are at" In
Western parlance. Aud just a little
looking-not more than a peep-wfu
convince them that they are on the
right side Of the ledger this year.
There Is a bumper crop Of corn. The
wheat, while not quite as good as last
year. Is sufficiently plentiful not to
cause any strenuous kicking. Other
crops are good. The early fruit did
not produce q full yield. but late ap'
pies and peaches promise better results.
Reports of expert statisticians place
the yields Of the various cereals OF the
United States for 1902 as follows:
Wheat. G33.5OO.OOO bushels: corn. q
5S0. .95l 900 bushels: oats. 73l l.52S.I2A
bushels: rye. 30.350.SOO bushels; tar.
ley. 12O. O.9OO.SJ0 bushels. A total OF
4.l2s. go. 800 bushels Of cereals has
been produced by less than 100000
farmers on S4l, 100000 acres Of soil. the
land being worth $4,000. .000. 900.
The products In 1899 sold for 81. 739..
l1S.752. and the quantity OF every ce-
real this year Is about equal to that OF
1899, excepting corn. There were
raised this year 100000. 900 more BUSH
els Of corn than In 1899.
The farmers have millions OF BUSH
els of the 1901 wheat crop In their bins.
and they can almost control the prices
of grain In so far rs the supplying OF
the export trade Is concerned. On July
1 Of the present year they held seven
per cent Of the crop Of 1901 In their
granarses. Hence the present wheat
holdings Of the farmers of the United
States more than surpass the total
Yield for 1901. The annual export OF
wheat from the United States to for
eign countries Is about 4OO.OOO.OOO
bushels. This wheat Is held by the
farmers. The elevator men have beeu
unable. so far. to buy the usual amount
Of grain.
There seems to be but little doubt
that the farmers Of the United States
will clear from their wheat and corn
a profit Of 81. 900. 600. 900. Besides these
two principal crops the farmer has all
others upon which to make up the -.
OOC. 200. 900 income Of 1899.
The oats crop this year will reach
the 75O.OOO.OOO bushel mark. There
will be the usual crop OF 3O.OOO.OO0
bushels of rye and 12G.0O0.0OO bushels
of barley. It Is difficult to figure the
profit on these cereals. The potato
crop Is about the same as last year. ex.
cept that 100000 acres more have Teen
sown to the Irish potato. and half the
number Of acres deducted from the
acreages Of sweet potaties.
The crop Of Irish potatoes will reach
about 3OO.OOOOOO bushels this fall. and
the selling price has fallen from sixty
to twenty cents per bushel.
In 1901, 1O.4O1. .453 bales Of cotton.
weighing on an average Of 5l3 pounds
to the bale. were sold. This year the
condition OF the crops Is not so prom.
Using. Drouths In the CarOllnas and
Southwestern Texas have damaged the
crop considerably. It Is possible that
the yield will be cut short Of last years
enormous yield by twenty per cent.
However. 1t Is believed that the value
Of cotton exported will reach s3OO.OOO..
600. or less than the crop Of last sea-
SON by Sl5.OOO.OOO. Many wheat fields
of Oklahoma. Indian Territory and
Southern Kansas are being converted
into cotton fields. Even Missouri has
become cotton-growing State.
The hen last year brought In $780,.
100000 to her owners. The fruit
trees, which are not exclusively owned
by farmers. brought In twice that
amount Of money. The total value OF
farm products exported In 1901 was
SQ51 6oS AL