The Elbert County tribune., 1902-10-16
FARMING MATTERS.
Value of Horse Power.

"Tbe agricultural wealth OF the Unit
nd states in 1890 amounted TO SIC G.0OO.-
600 0OO." remarked a tall. ay-haired,
intelligent looking man at the Brown
hotel last evening. says the Denver Re
| unblIcau "In 1900 the agricultural
wealth had advanced to $40 .000. 900 600.
The Increase OF 81. 900. 100000 was con-
siderably greater than the total value
OF the farms and farm products OF the
entire country in 1850. | am not a
prophet, but will say that unless there
Ia great development in the irrigation
OF large areas OF land at present uncul-
tivated In the United States. there will
be a check in these figures In the next
| ten years. The reports will show that
we have about reached the maximum,
or are on the down-hill grade
l.. G. Powers. the speaker, is statis-
tician of the Department OF Agriculture
| at Washington He has charge OF re-
ports submitted by 10000 enumerators
in the United States. and he is an en-
cyclopedia of Information In regard to
the farm products and farm develop
ment OF the country.
"The United States" said he. fuses
more horses and mules on the farms
and more farm machinery than all of
Europe outside of Russia That ac-
counts in large measure for our mar
velous progress. We have had more
than four times as many horses and
mules In this country than there are
in Germany. The result is we can pro-,
duce farm products. ship them by rail
and ocean to Germany, pay the high
tariff and sell them right in the middle
of Germany against home consumption.
Why is II we can do this? Because we
make use of horseiiesh. One horse Isl
equal to six men in muscular power
Ten million men and 20000000 horses.
and mules are equal in work to 1870. .000.-i
600 men. We should give credit to the
horse and mule for a large share of our
greatness to-day
"There is another interesting phase
OF our progress that it might be Inter
osting to note The time is rapidly COM
ing when we viii be sending rice to
China and Japan and selling 1t in sue
ressful competition with native grown
rice. The time Is not far distant when
we will be sending immense ships to
the Orient loaded with the best wheat
of the world. and the time is coming.
too. when nearly all the arid region of
this country will be brought within the
control of men and crops will be raised
which will find n ready market.
1T will be impossible to irrigate ALI
thes land. but plants adapted to the
non-irrigable areas are now being dis
covered and brought to America. l,
saw the first twenty bushels Of wheat;
ever grown in the arid region. and IL
was lesson | shall never forget in the
perseverance and ingenuity of man.
We should never cease to hope for
greater things in America. We will be
able to compete successfully with the
cheap Chinese labor in an occupation
which the Chinese have followed for
thousands OF years. James Hill of the
Great Northern railroad is preparing to
ship wheat across the Pacific. and 1t is
not an idle dream. We are able agri-
culturally to do almost anything, pro-
vided we have the assistance OF horses.
and machinery. Think of this: The
horses and mules on American farms
represent a greater power than all thc,-
steam electricity and water wheels In
Great Britain and the United States"
Mr.. Powers conferred yesterday with
President Springer and Secretary Mar
tin of the National Live Stock Associ-
alton in regard to the live stock cen
sus which the association is desirous OF
securing. AS representative Of the Ag-
ricultural Department Mr. Powers is
heartily in accord with the wishes of
the live stock men and will give any
assistance possible. He believes that
correct yearly census of live stock and
food products would be of vast advant-
age to producers and consumers, even
though II is opposed by the spectators.
"