The Grit-advocate., 1905-12-01
THE FARM AND RANGE
This Year. Unpreeedented Crops.

In the first annual report of his third
term Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
presents an array of figures and state
ments representing the products and
profits of the farmers of the country
| which he admits dreams of wealth
! production could hardly equal"
Four crops make new high records as
to yalue-corr, hay, wheat and rice
\ although in amount of production the
| corn crop is the only one that exceeds
previous yields. In every crop the gen
eral level OF production was high and
! that of prices still higher.
| Besides the enormous yield of
wealth. the secretary estimates that
the farms OF the country have in
| creased in value during the past five
| years to a present aggregate of $685.
OOO, 900.
Every sunset during the past five
years" he says, has registered an in
crease of $3.40O, 900 In the value of the
farms of this country" This increased
value. the secretary suggests, is in
vested better than in bank deposits or
even in the gilt-edged bonds of private
corporations.
Analyzing the principal crops for the
year, Secretary Wilson says that corn
| reached It's highest production with q
| 70S,000,000 bushels. gain of 42,00O,-
900 over the next lowest year, 1899.
Hay is second in order of value, al
| though cotton held second place dur
! ing the two preceding years. The hay
/ crop this year is valued at $605, 900, 900.
Cotton comes third. with valuation
l of $575,O0O.000; wheat. 525,000,0O0;
| oats, $2S2 2,OOO. 900; potatoes, $138, ,0O0,-
900; barley, $5S,O0O,0OO: tobacco, $52,-
! 100000; sugar cane and sugar beets,
| $5O.000,000; rice. $13,S92,0OO; dairy
products. $665.O0O.O00. an increase of
| $54, 100000 over last year.
"The farmers hem" the secretary
says, "is becoming worthy companion
to his COW. The annual production OF
eggs is now score of billions. Poultry
products have climbed to a place of
more than $50O,0O0,OO0 in value, SO the
farmers hen competes with wheat for
precedence.
There are more horses. with larger
| aggregate value, than ever before, not
withstanding, as the secretary says.
they were first threatened by the bi-
cycle and later by the suburban trolley
and the automobile. He estimates their
value at $1,000, 100000, or nearly as
much as the corn crop.
Although milch COWS are increasing
in number and value. the report states
that other cattle and sheep have for
several years been decreasing. There
are 17,570.O00 milch cows, valued at
$4S2.0OO,OOO. Other cattle are num-
bered at 43.GG9,000. with a value of
valued at $3.50 ,255 900. In the aggre-
gate the value of farm animals has in
! creased few million dollars within the
year and since the census of 1900 nine
| per cent.
The exported farm products during
the fiscal year ending June so, 1905,
had value of 1927 100000, which was
less by ISL 100000 than the average
exports for the five preceding years. III
accounting for this the secretary says
owing to the short wheat crop there
was a decrease in the export of that
cereal amounting to Sal 100000, of $5,-
100000 il the exports of packing house
products, and another $5.000,000 in
| fruits and other minor items.
The increase included S9.350. 900 in
| cotton, S4,700,00O in oil cake and oil
cake meal: $4.000.000 in vegetable oils,
| and $2,000.000 in rice and various
minor products.
During the last sixteen years" Sec
retary Wilson says. the domestic eX-
ports of farm products have amounted
| to $4,000, 900, 900, Or $1,000, ,00O,0
more than enough to buy all the rail
| roads of the country at their CONNER
| cial value. and this of mere surplus
| for which there was no demand at
| home"
Secretary Wilson points out that the
| farmer is taking an important part in
|. developing the manufacturing inter-
| ests of the country by furnishing raw
| material. and that he has also become
a banker. The farm contributions to
manufactures during the year were $2.
| 679000000. Under the recent amend
| ment to the national banking act al
| lowing the establishment of banks
| with a capitalization of less than $780,
| O00 there have been l.754 such banks
| established in the last year. nearly ev-
| cry one of which Is located in a rural
community and the capital furnished
by farmers. Speaking of the increase
in deposits in banks by farmers, the
| secretary stated:
! "In the north central states farmers
| have been depositing money in the
banks until the rate of interest on de-
posits has fallen so low that they have
| diverted large portion of their saw
ings to permanent investments. In
spite of the fact that the banks do not
receive and keep all or most of the
| farmers savings, the increase of bank
deposits in agricultural states and re-
| gions is most extraordinary.
"Still more remarkable is the bank
statement for the south central states
Deposits increased 1S.1 per cent. in
| Texas.
| For the first time in the financial
history of the South deposits in the
banks of that region now exceed ST.
000. 900, 900.
| "The foregoing remarkable increases
| in bank deposits in agricultural states,