Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-01-06
where Nations Wealth Lies
Secretary wilson shows 1t Is in Agriculture and Live Stock

Secretary Wilson has iust completed
and transmitted to the president the
eighth annual report of the depart
important features of the work that
are enumerated in opening the report
by the secretary of agriculture are: a
more extensive cooperation with agri-
cultural stations; the taking of pre-
liminary steps to conduct feeding and
breeding experiments; the war waged
against the cotton boil weevil and
against cattle mango; plans for edu-
cation of engineers III road building;
the production of q hardy orange, a
hybrid of the Florida orange n the
Japanese trifoliata; valuable research
in successful shipping of fruit abroad;
the value Of ni~trogen-fixing bacteria;
successful introduction of plants suited
to light rainfall areas; establishment
OF pure foo 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 Yz0U, 000, 900 worth of domestic
products, now imported from abroad.
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 year, and still
have enough left to pay a considerable
portion of the governments yearly ex-
penses. The cotton crop, valued for
lint and seed at $500, 900, 900, comes Sec
ond, while hay and wheat contend for
the third place. Combined. these two
crops will abou equal in Value the
corn crop. Notwithstanding the wheat
crop shows o lower production than any
year since 1900, the farm value is the
highest since 1881. Potatoes and bar
ley reached their highest production In
1904: save I'm 1902 the oat crop was new
er so large by $4,000. 900 bushels. The
present crop of rice promises a yield OF
900, 900, 900 pounds-300, 900. 900 pounds
more than vel before.
Horses and mules reach the highest
point this year, with an aggregate
value exceeding 1854 600, 900. on the
other hand, cattle. sheep and hogs an
show a slight decline.
The steady advance in poultry leads
to some astonishing figures. The farm.
ers' hens now produce 1860, 000. 900 dog
ems of eggs, and at the high average
price Of the year the hens during theis
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
10 place the amount at 81, 800, 900, 900 af-
ter excluding the value OF farm crops
fed 10 live stock in order TO avoid dupli.
cation OF values. This is 9.65 per cent
above the product of 1909. and 81. 2S pei
cent. above hal of the census year
1899.
Some comparisons are necessary To
the realization of such an u~nthinkable
value, a~ggregating nearly $5,e0o, 000. 900
The farmers OF this olntr have in two
years produced wealth exceeding the
output OF al the gold mines OF the en-
tire world since Columbus discovered
America. This years product ~ over
six times the amoun of the capital
stock of AL national banks; 1t lacks but
$3.50, o0o. 900 OF the value OF the manu-
features OF 1900, less the cost OF ma
terials used: 1t is three times the gross
earning from the operations OF the rail-
ways. and four times the value Of all
minerals produced I'm this country.
The yea 1904 keeps well up to the av-
erage OF exports OF farm products dur
in zthe five years. l898-1903, amounting
10 over $S59.00o. 900, while The