The Jersey City news., 1905-11-29


for the UUnited States was but 1876 per
cent. For the first time in the financial
history of the South, deposits in the
banks of that region now exceed 81, &c.,
100000. These remarkable increases in
bank deposits in agricultural States and
the increase in the number of small eoun-
try banks are directly and indirectly be-
cause of the profits that have come to
the farmers.
During the past five years the value OF
medium farms in this country has iHu
creased 33.5 per cent. as compared with
an increase of twenty-five per cent. for
the ten years preceding. The increase I'M
the South Central group is 4o.s per
cent; in the Western group, 4O.2; in the
South Atlantic group, thirty-six peg
cent, and in the North Atlantic group
13.3 per cent.
Figured in dollars of gain per acre,
the increases during the Ave years past
of medium farms were IN the North Gem
tral division, SLIPS; in the Western de
S5.26; in the South Atlantic division,
$4.93, and in the South Central division,
S4.66. The average increase for the
United States fas $7.31. The returns
showed that farms of less intensive eul-
ture and crop have increased IN value
less than the farms having more yalua-
BILE crops and receiving high culture,
= II
gent agriculture. Farmers are improy-
ing their cultural methods and changing
from less to more profitable crops. 9th
er causes for higher values are betten
buildings, betbter fences, tile draining,
new facilities for transportation, more
railroads, and better wagon roads.
The cotton farms have increased IN
value $3.50, 100000, so that it might be
said that during the past FIVE years the
cotton plantations ~haye had six crops,
one of them q permanent Investment
promising to pay good return year by
year. Hay and grain farms show an in-
crease of $4,000 100000; live stock
1869, 100000: tobacco farms, S5I ,0O0,<
600; rice farms, $3,300,000; fruit farms,
$97, 600, and vegetable farms, $119,-
900, 900. Every sunset during the past
FIVE years has registered an increase of
So. AGO, ,000 in the value of the farms of
this country. Every month has piled
value upon value until it has reached
$102. 100000; that portion of the nation
al debt-bearing interest is equalled by
the increased value of farms in nine
months. and this increase for a little
over year balances the entire interest,"
bearing and non-interest-bearing debt OF
the United States.
The Secretary thus summarizes the
economic position of farmers: s.If the
States is to be condensed in short para%
graph it may be said that their farms
produced this year wealth valued ait $6,(
415, 1000, 600; that farm products are
yearly exported with port value OF
$S75, 100000; that formers have reversed
an adverse International balance Of trade
and have been building UP one favorable
to this country by sending to foreign ma,
tions a surplus which in sixteen years
has aggregated $1,000 100000. leaving
an apparent net balance OF trade during
that time amounting to $5,092, ,0O0,00e
after an adverse balance against manu-
facturers and other products not agE4
cultural. amounting to $53, 200, 900, has
been offset Tile manufacturing indna
tries that depend upon farm product
for raw materials employed 3,154,0 God
persons in 1900 and used a capital Oh
! 81, ,132. 600 600. Within a decade farm,
ers have been prominent as bankers and
as money lenders throughout large areas
and during the past five years prosperout
conditions and the better-directed efforts
of the farmers themselves have increased
the value of their farms $50 per cent
or an amount approximately equal to $6s
/ 129 600 600