Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-08

900. Within the limits of ascertainable
values the farms of 1904 produced an
aggregate wealth with a farm valuation
that was $50 per cent above the product
OF 1908, and 31.2S per cent above the fig
ures for the census year 1899.
An occupation that has produced such
an unthinkable value as one aggregat-
ing nearly $1,000 900 within year
may be better measured by some COM
parsons. All of the gold mines Of the
entire world have not produced since Co
lumbuS discovered America greater
value OF gold than. the farmers of this
country have produced in wealth in two
years; this years product is over six
times the amount of the capital stock OF
all national banks; it is twice the sum
Of our exports and imports for year;
it is three times the gross earnings from
the operations of the railways; it is four
times the value of all minerals produced
in this country.
Animal Exports Increase.
Our animal industry is shown only in
small part by the figures giving the ex-
ports, yet these exports are so large as
TO be worthy Of notice. The animals ex-
ported in the fiscal year 1904 were val
ued at about $4S,O00,000, which was an
increase over the previous year of $13,-
100000; the exports of meat and meat
products, including olco oil, olcomarga-
riHc and lard compounds, amounted to
more than S174,O00O0O, a decrease of
$4,0G0,O00 from the year before. We
also sent abroad nearly S6,O00,O0O worth
Of dairy products, and Of other products.
such as hides and skins, glue, grease and
grease scrap, over $5,OOO,OO0 worth. The
exact total of the above items of export,
as given in preliminary returns, was
SOB ,023, O60, which was an increase over
the previous year of more than $12,-
600, 600
The department is not an educational
institution in the sense of the word, but
it can do and is doing much to bring
home to the people in all walks of life
the Importance and value Of the farm
and its productions. The Bureau of
Plant Industry is making a special effort
to encourage the study Of plants in the
public schools.
Unfortunately our system of elemen-
tary education is such as to leave no i'm
preston On the child's mind of the i'm
portance, value and usefulness of farm
life. Very little effort has been made to
overcome the general belief that there is
always q great amount of drudgery con-
nected with the farm. and that the OPP
portuuities in this sort of occupation are
narrow and limited. When we see the
rapid advances that are being made in
agriculture along all lines and note the
need for bright young men in this field,
the opportunities offered by the cultiva-
ton of the soil seems as great as in any
other field.
Growth of American Tea.
The department has continued its work
in the production of American tea. The
more advanced investigations have been
conducted, as heretofore, at Summerville,
S. c., in cooperation with DR.. Charles
L. Shepard. DR.. Shepard's tea gardens
are now yielding from 5000 to 10000
pounds Of tea annually. Owing to eli
matte conditions the crop this year will
be light. DR.. Shepard has been devotins
special attention to the improvement of
factory processes.
The work of establishing 4 plantation
in Texas has been continued. Tea beds
were started on two types of sofia
rich sandy loan and black. waxy soil.
The plants on the black, waXy land have
failed utterly. There are now on hand
at our Texas station. which is located at
Pierce, about 100000 plants. which will
be put into the field this winter, plant
ing about forty acres. Sufficient addi-
tional seed will be put out to give an
other fifty acres newt year.
Advance in Forage Crop Work.
Alfalfa has attracted more attention
on the part of farmers in the eastern half
Of the United States during the past two
years than any other crop. The depart
ment has demonstrated that it can be
grown in almost every State in the
Union. Varieties have been found which
withstand the rigorous winters of the
Northwestern prairie States. Other va
rieties have been found which are inn
mune to the alfalfa leaf rust. There
is still much to be learned concerning the
adaptability Of alfalfa to various types
OF soil in the Eastern States and much
time is being devoted to the solution of
this problem.