The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-12-02
SOME BIG FIGURES
THEY ARE FOUND in SECRETARY
WILSON'S ANNUAL REF0RT.
s
Value OF Farm Products Ia 1905
Placed at Over Six Billion Dol
lars-rour lrops Rake High Rec
ords-iien . Competitor for place
with the Cow.

With the Cow.
Washington, Nov. 28.-ssWealth pro-
duction on the farms Of the United
States in 1906 reached the highest
amount ever attained in this or any
other country-$6, ALI, 600, OOO."
In the first annual report Of his third
term Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson
presents an array Of figures and state
ment representing the products and
profits Of the farmers Of this country
which he admits dreams of wealth
production could hardly equal"
Four crops make new high records
as to value-corn. hay, wheat and
rice, although in amount Of produce
ton the corn crop is the only one that
exceeds previous yields. In every crop
report the general level Of production
was high, and that Of prices still
higher.
Farms Grow In Value.
Besides the enormous yields of
wealth. the secretary estimates that
the farms of the country have increas-
ed in value during the past few years
to present aggregate Of Sc, 133, O0O,-
600.
Analysing the principal crops for
the year, the secretary says that corn
reached its highest production at g.
708, 900, 600 bushels, gain Of AZ, OO0,-
900 over the next highest year. 1889;
hay is second in order of value, al
though cotton held second place during
the two preceding years. The hay
crop this year is valued at $6O5, 900,
900.
Cotton comes third with valuation
Of 1915, 600. 900; wheat, $5s5, 900, 600;
oats, $3.50, 900, 900; potatoes, $780,
O0o, 900; barley, $58, 900, 600; tobacco,
$12, 000, 900; sugar cane and sugar
beets, $500. 600, 600; rice, $13. 892, 900;
dairy products, $685., 900, 900, an in
crease Of $54, 900, 600 over last year.
"The farmers hen," the secretary
says, lis becoming worthy compan-
ion to his cow. The annual poduction
Of eggs is now score of billions.
Poultry products have climbed to
place Of mere than half q billion in
value, SO the farmers hen completes
with wheat for precedence"
Horse Is Still a Factor.
There are more horses and with q
larger aggregate value than ever be-
fore, notwithstanding, as the secretary
says, they were threatened by the
bicycle and later by the suburban troll
ley and the automobile. He estimates
their value at $1,000, 000, 900, or hear.
~ 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 II, $50, 600 milch cows, valued at
$482. OOO,OO Other cattle are num-
bered at 43, 669. 900, with q value Of
e46s ,0O0, 200. Swine number A, 321,-
600, valued at $3.50, s55, 900. In the
aggregate the value of farm animals
has increased few million dollars
within the year and since the census Of
1900 has increased 9 per cent.
Enough to Buy All Railroads.
During the last sixteen years." the
secretary says, "the domestic exports
of farm products have amounted tn
$12, 00O, 600. 900, or $1,000, OOO, 600
more than enough to buy all of the
railroads Of their country at the pres
emit value, and this with mere sur
plus for which there was no demand
at home"
Secretary Wilson points out that the
farmer IL teking an important part in
developing the manufacturing interests
Of the country by furnishing raw ma
terial, and that he ahas also become q
banker. The farm contributions to
manufactures during the year were
81, 678, 600, 900. Under the provisions
Of the national banking laws author
izing the incorporation Of banks with
q capital Of less than $50. 900, there
has been an increase Of 1O4 such
banks established in the last year,
nearly every one Of which is located
in rural community and the capital
furnished by farmers. The secretary
calls especial attention to the increase
OF bank deposits in. the South, deposits
in the banks Of that region now exceed
ing billion dollars, the largest in the |
financial history Of that section.
Mr.. Wilson says the increase during
the i've years past Of medium farms in
the Western division was So. 86 per
acre, while the average increase for the |
United States was $27. s. per acre.
The report concludes:
Should there be no relapse from
his present condition az q wealth pro-
ducer. three years hence the farmer
will find that the farming element,
about So per cent Of the population,
has produced an amount Of wealth |
within ten years equal to one-half the
entire national wealth produced in
three centuries"
Superstition Helps End Boycott.
San Francisco, Nov. 99.-Fearing