The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-12-21
THE AGRICULTURE REPORT
Yield in 1904 Was Nearly Five
Billion Dollars,
THE ENORMOUS CORN CROP

900, ooo-Potatoes. Rice. Barley, !oats
and Products Reached Their
e Point Of Prodnction-Livs
Stock and Poultry blake Records.
Washington, D. C.-The annual re-
port Of the Secretary Of Agriculture
Just transmitted to the President
enumerates some Of the more import
ant features Of the years work.
Among them are eXtenSiveco-operatIon
with agricultural stations; the taking
OF preliminary steps to conduct feed
ing and breeding experiments; the war
waged against the cotton boil weevil
and against cattle mango; plans for
education of engineers in road build
ing: the production of a hardy orange,
q hybrid Of the Florida orange and the
Japanese trifoliata; valuable research
in successful shipping Of fruit abroad;
the value of nitrogen-fxing bacteria;
successful introduction Of plants
suited to light rainfall areas; estab-
lishmeDt of pure food standards; the
extension of agricultural education in
primary and secondary schools; the
extension of instruction to our island
possessions to enable them to supply
the country with $500. 900 worth OF
domestic products, now imported from
abroad.
The report then discusses the place
of agriculture in the cOuntry's indus
trial life. The corn crop OF 1904 yields
a farm value greater than ever before.
The farmers could from the proceeds
Of this single crop pay the national
debt. the interest thereon for one year,
and still have enough left to pay q
considerable portion of the Govern
ment's yearly expenses. The cotton
crop, valued for lint and seed at $780,
100000, comes second. while hay n
wheat contend for the third place.
Combined, these two crops will about
equal in value the corn crop.
Notwithstanding that the wheat crop
shows q lower production than any
gear since 1900, the farm value is
the highest since 1881. Potatoes and
barley reached their highest produc-
ton in 1904. Save in 1902 the oat crop
was never so large by 60,00O,0OO
bushels. The present crop of rice
promises a yield of 90O,000.00O pounds,
800, 600 900 more than ever before.
Horses and mules reach the highest
point this year, with an aggregate
value exceeding S1,354. 100000. On
the other hand, cattle, sheep and hogs
all show a slight decline.
The steady advance in poultry leads
to some astounding figures. The far
mers' hens now produce n and two
thirds billions of dozen of eggs and at
the high 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 national
debt.
After a careful! estimate of the value
of the products Of the farm during
1904, made within the census scope,
it is safe to place the amount at S4,-
300, O0C, 900, after excluding the value
OF farm crops fed to- live stock in order
to avoid duplication of values. This
is 9.65 per cent. above the product of
1908, and 31.2S per cent. above that
Of the census year 1899.
Some comparisons are necessary to
the realization of such an u%nthinkable
value, ~aggregating nearly $5,OO0,0N,-
900. The farmers of this country have
in two years produced wealth exceed
ing the output Of all the gold mines
Of the entire world since Columbus
discovered America. This years pro-
duct is more than six times the
amount Of the capital stock Of all ma
tional banks. it lacks but three-fourths
Of q billion dollars of the value Of the
manufacturers Of 1900, less the cost Of
the materials used: it is three times
the gross earnings from the opera
tons of the railways, and four times
the value Of all minerals produced in
this country.
The year 1904 keeps we'll up to the
average of exports of farm products
during the five years 1S99-1903,
amounting to more than SS59,O00,OOO
while the average for the five years
was nearly $3.50, 600, 900. During the
last fifteen years the balance Of trade
in favor of this country. all articles
considered, exceeded $4,3S4,OO0,O 00,
but taking farm products alone these
showed a balance in our favor of more
than $4,000 600.
Reviewing the increase il farm cap.
ital, the Secretary estimates It con.
servatively at $4,000, 100000 within
four years-this without recognizing
the marked increase in the value Of
land during the last two years. The
most startling figures shown as illus
tratinG the farmers prosperity are
those presented by deposits in banks
in typical agricultural States. The
Secretary selects for this illustration
Iowa, Kansas and Mississippi. TAX
ing all kinds of UNCONSTITUTIONAL, State,
private and savings-the deposits in
creased from June 80, 1896, to October
II. 1904, in Iowa. 164 per cent; in
Kansas, 219 per cent; in Mississippi,
S01 per cent, and in the United States,