The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-12-01
I'm FARMERS AID.
SECRETARY WILSON RENDERS
REPORT FOR EIGHT YEARS
FARMS INCREASING IN VALUE.
The Department Has Organized d.
vision to Test Road Materials.
Highway Engineering.

Washington, Nov. 27.-The Secre'
tary of Agriculture says that it is in
the highest degree gratifying to pre-
sent evidence of the unprecedented
prosperity which has in recent years
rewarded the diligence of the farmer
and the efforts of his department. A
year of unequaled prosperity has been
added to the most remarkable Seues
of similar years that has come 10 the
farmers of this country. Farm crops
have never before been harvested al
such high general level of produc
duCtiOn and value. Corn has reached
its highest production, over 100000.
600 bushels, OF a total estimated value
of $1,216,000,0UO Hay comes second,
with a value of SGO5, 100000. Cotton
is expected to yield 575,000,000. The
short wheat crop of last year is fol
lo"Su W UlS VI Ocf,oOO,OVV Du9hSlo,
and its value, $525OO0,000, oyertOps
the highest value ever before reached.
While only one crop-cOrn-reached
its highest production this year, four
crops-corn, hay, wheat and rice
reached their highest value.
No crop but corn produces the in.
come that the dairy COW does. The
estimate of the dairy products for 1905
reaches $665,000OOO. The farmers
hen completes for precedence with
wheat, poultry products aggregating
half billion dollars in value.
And yet says the Secretary, the
story is not done" The wealth pro
duction on farms in 1905 has reached
the highest amount ever attained by
the farmer of this or any other coun-
try, "a stupendous aggregate of re-
suits Of brain and muscle and ma
chine amounting in value to $6,415,-
100000, an excess over last year of
S256,000,000. The wealth produced on
farms in 1905 exceeds that of 1904 by
per cent, that of 1903 by s per cent
and that shown by the census figures
for 1899 by sc per cent, Should there
| be no relapse from this present posi-
ton as wealth producer, three years
hence the farmer will find that the
farming element, about 35 per cent of
the population, has produced an
amount of wealth within ten years
equal to one-half of the entire National
wealth produced in three centuries.
The value of horses and mules on
farms exceeded last winter 81, ASP ,0O0,-
600. Mich COWS are advancing in
numbers and are worth $4S2,000,000.
The value of all other cattle is esti-
mated at $GG2, 100000. Sheep are de-
clning in number and total value,
while swine maintain their previous
position, and are valued at over $685..
100000. In the aggregate, the value Of
farm animals of all sorts has increased
over that given in the census of 1900
by 9 per cent.
During the last fiscal year, export
ed domestic farm products were val
ued at $S27 100000. This is below
the annual average for the five years
preceding, and the relative position
of farm products in domestic exports
is a declining one on account of the
gain in exports of manufactures. New
ertheess, during the last sixteen years
the domestic export of farm products
have amounted to S12.0000O0, 900, or
81 00,000,000 more than enough to
buy all the railroads of the country at
their commercial value, and this with
the mere surplus for which there was
no demand at home. During these
sixteen years the farmer has secured
a balance of $685. 100000 to himself
! out of which he has offset an adverse
balance of $543,0O0OOO in the foreign
trade in non-agricultural products
turning over to the nation from his &C
count with other nations 5000, 100000
The exports of forest products were
$G3,O00000.