The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-12-22
SECRETARY WILSON'S REPORT
Figures Showing the Astonishing Val
ues of This Years Crop.

ues OF This years Crop.
The Secretary of Agriculture has
transmitted his eighth annual report
to the President.
In opening his report the Secretary
enumerates some of inc more inn
portant features of the years work.
Among them are extensive cooperation
with agricultural stations; the taking
Of preliminary steps to conduct feed
ing and breeding experiments, the
war waged against the cotton boil Wee
vii and against cattle mango, plans
for education Of engineers III road
building; the production of hardy
orange. Dytrid of the Florida orange
and the Japanese iriiollata; valuable
research in successful shipping OF
fruit abroad; the value of nitrogen
fixing bacteria; successful introduc-
uon of plants suited to light rainfall
areas; establishment OF pure food
standards; the extension of agricul-
tural education in primary and second
airy schools; the extension Of instruc.
ton TO our island possessions to en-
able them to supply the country with
s20O,OOO,000 worth Of domestic pro.
ducts, now imported from abroad.
He then proceeds TO discuss the
Place of agriculture in the country's
industrial life.
The ccrn crop of 1904 yields a
firm value greater than ever before.
The farmers could from the pro-
ceeds of this crop pay the national
deDt. the interest thereon for one year.
and still have enough left to pay
considerable portion of the govern
ment's yearly expenses. The cotton
crop, valued for lint ard seed at $780,
10000, comes second. while hay and
wheat contend for the third place.
Combined, these two crops will about
equal the corn crop. Notwithstanding
the wheat crop shows lower pro-
duction than any year since 1900, the
farm value is the highest since 1881.
Potatoes and barley reached their
highest production In 1904; save in
1902 the oat crop was never so large
by 60.000,000 bushels. The present
crop of rice promises yield OF 900.-
900, 900 pounds-3OO, 900, 900 more than
ever before.
Horses and mules reach the high
est point this year, with an aggregate
value exceeding 1854 million dollars.
On the other hand cattle. sheep and
hogs all show decline.
The steady advance IN poultry leads
to some astonishing figures. The far
mers' hens now produce one and two
thirds billions of dozens of eggs and
at the nigh average price of the year
the hens during their busy season
lay enough eggs in a single month to
pay the years interest on the nationa!
debt.
After q careful estimate of the val
lie OF the products Of the farm during
1904, made within the census scope.
it is safe to place the amount at 1900
million dollars, after excluding the
value of farm crops fed to live stock
in order to avoid duplication Of values.
This is 965 per cent. above the pro-
duct of 1908, and 31.2S per cent above
that Of the census Of 1899.
Some comparisons are necessary to
the realization Of such unthinkable
value, aggregating nearly five billions
of dollars. The farmers Of this coun-
try have in two years produced wealth
exceeding the output of all the gold
mines of the entire world since Col
umbus discovered America. This
years product Is over six times the
amount of the capital stock of all ma
tional banks; it lacks but three
fourths Of billion dollars of the value
of the manufactures Of 1900, less the
cost Of materials used; it is three
times the gross earnings from the
operations Of the railways and four
times the value of all minerals pro-
duced in this country. The year Of
1904 keeps well up to the average Of
exports of farm products during the
five years 1S99-1903, amounting to
1v,.r $50 millions, while the average
for the five years was nearly S65 NIL.
lions. During the last Is years the