Mower County transcript., 1904-12-07
AGRICULTURAL RI { Y !. WEALTH III
Farm Products Reach Nearly Five
~ II = Jl$2+f', ~ *fT"f I NJ p 8 10,
Billious of Dollars dreat lucrease
In Farm and Crop Values.

BILLIONS OF 0fDOllAfS-0reAtln lncreaSe
in Farm and Crop Values, ,'.S'7.-'
~ ....-... %1,4,E
The annual report of Secretary of
Agriculture, Wilson, Just issued gives
figures and facts that show the remark
able importance of farming industries
in the United States. e T. ! ~ -. i
In opening his report tho secretary !
enumerates some of the more impor-
tant features Of the years work.
Among them are extensive co-opera
tien with agricultural stations; the tax
ing Of preliminary steps to conduct
feeding and breeding experiments; the
war waged against the cotton boil
weevil and against cattle mango; plans
for education of engineers in road
building; the production Of hardy
orange, a hybrid of the Florida orange
and the Japanese trifoliata; valuable
research in successful shipping of fruit
abroad; the value of nitrogen-tixing !
bacteria; successful introduction of
plants suited to light rainfall areas;
establishment 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 $90O, O,000, 600 worth Of
domestic products, now imported from
abroad.
As source Of national wealth the corn
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 a considerable portion of the govern
ment's yearly expenses. The cotton crop,
valued for lint and seed at $500 OOO, 900,
comes second, while hay and wheat con-
tend for the third place. Combined, these
two crops will about equal in value the
csrn crop. Notwithstanding the wheat
crop shows q lower production 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 80 large by opo0,pDo bushels.
The present crop of rice promises q
a yield of SOC, 0,O0O, 600 lbs-300, ,000. 900.
more than ever before.
Horses and mules reach the highest
point this year, with an aggregate val
ue exceeding 81, 1854, 100000. On the
other hand cattle, sheep and hogs all
show slight decline.
The steady advance in poultry leads
to some astonishing figures. The far
mers' hens now produce 2-3 billions
of dozens of eggs and at the high aver
age price of the year the hens during
their busy season lay enough eggs in a
single month to pay the years inter
est on the national debt.
After 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 of S4,900,000, 0,000
after excluding the value of farm crops
fed to live stock in order to avoid dupli-
cation of values. This is 965 per cent
above the product of 1903, and .31.28
per cent above that Of the census year
1899. ..
The farmers of this country have in
two years produced wealth exceeding
the output Of all the gold mines of the
entire world since Columbus discover
e6iAmerica. This years farm product is
over six times the amount Of the capt.
tai stock of all national banks, it lacks
but three-fourths Of a 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
operation of the railways, and four
times the value of all minerals produc-
ed in this country.
The year 1904 keeps we'll up to the
average of exports of farm products
during the five years lSs9-l903, amount
ing to over 1883, 100000 while the aver
age for the five years was nearly $685.
100000. During the last fifteen years
the balance Of trade in favor of this
country, all articles considered, exceed
ed s4,3s4. .ooo, 900, but taking farm pro.
ducts alone these showed balance in
our favor Of more than 81, 300 OoO, 900.
The increase ii farm capital, the sec
retary estimates conservatively at
$2,Uo,O0O,ON within four years-this
without recognizing the marked in
crease in the value Of land during the
past two years. The most startling fig,
ures shown as illustrating the farmers
prosperity are those presented by de-
posits ii banks in typical agricultural
kt,{e