Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-30
PROCRESSOF FARMERS
Interesting Report Of the Sec
rotary Of Agriculture.
OUTLOOK IN ALASKA
Farms Worth More Than Gold Mines,
Says MI. Wilson-Some Unique
Comparisons.


crates some of the more important feat
ures of the years work. Among them are
extensive cooperation with agricultural
stations: the taking Of preliminary steps to
conduct feeding and breeding experiments;
the war waged against the cotton boil
weevl and against cattle mango: plans for
education of engineers In road building: the
production of a hardy orange. a hybrid of
the Florida orange and the Japanese tri-
foliata: valuable research In successful
shipping of fruit abroad: the value of nj
trOgen-hxing bacteria: successful introduce
ton of plants suited to light rainfall areas;
establishment of pure food standards: the
extension of agricultural education in pri-
mary and secondary schools; the extension
of instruction to our island possessions to
enable them to supply the country with
S2j0.OO0,OOO worth of domestic products,
now imported from abroad.
Source of National Wealth.
The corn crop of 1904 yields 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 considerable portion Of the govern
ments yearly expenses The cotton crop
valued for lint and seed at 5000. 1000 OU0.
comes second, while nay and wheat con-
tend for the third place. Combined, these
two crops will about equal In value the
corn crop. Notwithstanding the wheat
crop shows lower production than any
year since 1900, the farm value Is the high
est since 1881. Potatoes and barley reached
their highest production in 1904; save in
lp- the oat crop was never so large by
@.oOo,OOO bushels. The present crop of rice
promises yield of 100000 900 pounds
3W.OoO.OOO more than ever before.
Horses and mules reach the highest point
xIvffh
Ing $l.3o4,O00.OOO. On the other hand cat
tie. sheep and hogs all show a slight de-
cline
The steady advance in poultry leads to
hens now produce 90 billions of dozens of
eggs and at the high average price of the
year the hens during their busy season lay
enough eggs In single month to pay the
years interest on the national debt
After careful estimate of the value of
the products of the farm during 1904, made
Wlthin the census scope, 1t Is safe to place
inc amount at 4.90O.OOOO 600 after excluding
IN IN order to avoid duplication of values.
rms is 9.6o per cent above the product of
1870 ana BIS per cent above that of the
census year 1899.
Wealth Of Farmers.
some comparisons are necessary to the
reahzation OF such an unthinkable value.
asgresating nearly FIVE billions Of dollars.
me farmers of this country have In two
years produced wealth exceeding the ont
put OF all the gold mines of the entire
world since Columbus discovered America
ms years product is over six times the
amount of the capital stock of all national
banks, 1t lacks but three fourths of a bill
non dollars of the value of the manufac
lures OF 1900. less the cost of materials
Used e,eu &c Is three times the gross earnings
from the operations of the railways. and
-FOUR times the value of all minerals nro
duced In this country
Inc year 1904 keeps well up to the aver
age OF exports of farm products during the
five years 1S99-19O3, amounting TO over
so3 millions. while the average for the five
years was nearly S65 millions. During the
iast fifteen years the balance Of trade in
favor or this country, all articles consider
ed exceeded 81, 2S4. 900 600 but taking farm
products alone, these showed a balance in
our favor of more than s53OO.OOO.OOO.
Reviewing the Increase in farm capital
the Secretary estimates 1t conservativeiy
at S2.O0o,OOOOOO within four years-this
without recognizing the marked in
crease in the value OF land during the past
two years. The most startling figures
shown as illustrating the farmers prosper
lily are those presented by deposits In banks
IN typical agricultural states. The Secre-
tary selects for this illustration Iowa. Kan
sss and Mississippi. Taking all kinds of
banks. national, state, private and savings.
the deposits increased from June 30. 1896,
10 october 81, 1904. in Iowa, 1914 per cent;
III hausdS, Sio per cent, ana In MISSISSIPPI.
sol per cent-in the United States. OF per
cent. similar favorable comparison may
be made as to the number of depositors
The Secretary concludes that the farm
comparison with that of any other class of
producers.
Experiments With Borax.
The Secretary devotes considerable space
In this report to discussing the experiments
In
tended experiments conducted In the bureau
of chemistry. he concludes that the argu-
ment that small quantities of deleterious
substances may be used without harm is
not logical. nor can II be based on the re-
suits of the experiments which have been
made. The logical conclusion deduced from
the data obtained Is that the use OF boric
acid and equivalent amount of borax should
be restricted to those cases where the
necessity therefor Is clearly manifest
where Ii Is shown that other methods of
food preservation are not applicable, and
that the use OF such a preventative would
be less harmful than the effects produced
by the foods themselves by reason OF de-
composition.
The Boil Weevil.
The most important work of the bureau of
entomology during the year has been It's
combat with the Mexican cotton boil weevil.
Under the provisions of the special appro-
priation of $4,000, made available last
January. this work was greatly enlarged
Over thousand acres. divided among thir-
teen experimental farms. were devoted to
experimental work. and II is believed that
the cultural system these farms were de-
signed to illustrate has SO far proved to be
the only practicable means of controlling
the weevil This Is the outgrowth of sew.
eral years of experimentation.
The discovery of the Guatemalan ant and
Its colonization in Texas Is a feature of dis.
tinct encouragement. The eminent DANCE,
of the spread OF the weevil, however to
other states indicates the necessity of con-
tlnued active and energetic work on the
part of the general government.
Work in Alaska.
Many interesting experiments have been
carried on In Alaska. Distribution was
made. moreover. of vegetable ana flower
seeds TO some loo persons. many of whom
report success, and confirm the possibility
of raising hardy vegetables in nearly all
parts of the territory south of the arctic
circle. In general, the experimental work
In Alaska has shown that live stock could
DE successfully maintained at many points.
Sheep raising has not proved successful
and the Secretary expresses the opinion
that Alaskan grass lands as a whole can be
most profitably used at present through
dairying The Secretary says II Is doubtful
III equally good opportunities for dairymen
can he found In the United States today.