Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-07

CTopa OF Two Years Worth uoro
Than Yield OF Gold In Four Huna
aired Years.. Says American Agri-
sulturint's Managing Editor--CJaims
Yankee. Husbandmnn ia Real Dscss-
TOR of World OF Commerce..
Professor w. G. Johnson, managing
editor Of the American Agriculturist,
who wrote the following article on
the wonderful achievements OF the
American farmer for the New York
Herald's annual financial review, says:
"our American farmer IS the wonder
of the age. Wall street trembled when
ne announced the value Of his products
for 1906 at $6,415,000000 Railroad Of
ficials shook because OF their inability
TO hand to him a bill OF lading In 1904,
but when he asked for rolling stock to
transport his crops at the close OF the
last harvest they were unable to speak.
He requested cars for 2.TOS 100000
bushels OF corn, 740,00O.000 bushels OF
wheat 1,00o,000,000 bushels of oats,
35,o00,000 bushels OF rye, 10000
COO bushels OF barley, 100000 bush
els of fiaxseed. 100000. COO bushels Of
potatoes, 2S000,0OO barrels Of apples,
100000 bushels OF onions, 10000
bushels Of cranberries, G5O,Oo0,OOO
pounds of rice, 100000 tons beet sugar,
100000 bales Of cotton, 100000
TONS OF hay, 100000 pounds OF broom
corn and 156,oO0,o00 pounds of TO.
bacco.
n fnN % ,ryre Z.
transportation OF milk, butter and
cheese from 17,57O,000 COWS, which
products alone he estimates will be
worth in 1906 more than SG65, O0O 900.
lie values his COWS ct $3.50, 100000, to
say nothing OF the 100000 other cat
lie, worth in round numbers S6G3, O0O,-
600. Just TO make the figures even up,
lie says, add another $1,500, 100000 for
horses and mules and cast your eye
over 47,4Oo,O 600 sheep and swine In the
barns and fields. AS the general freight
agent starts away, scratching his head,
the farmer says provision must be
made for handling and shipping $780,
100000 dozen Of eggs during the next
twelve months.
when he closed the year 1904 the
American farmer announced the value
OF his products at S4,900,OOO,0O0. The
general public was amazed at these
unthinkable figures, but when he comes
forth ct the close OF another season
with an aggregate OF over $780, O00,-
600 more than the marvellous record Of
1904 we wonder what sort OF O man
the farmer really Is. All other classes
OF producers sink into insignifcance
when compared with him.
"-sll the GOLD mineral in the world ia
the last 400 years could not purchase
the farm crops of the last two years.
"Farm crops for 1905 are worth more
than the value OF the manufactures Of
i've years ago, not counting the mate
rails used, They represent several
times the gross earnings of all the
railroads in the United States.
IAN occupation that produces such
beWildeTine figures is deserving OF
more than passing attention. a few
years ago the man VITO tills the 6O0o,-
COO farms in the United States was
called 'hayseed' or 'Rube.1 Today he
stands head and shoulders above his
fellow coworkers IN other vacations,
but we never hear him speak disre-
spectfully OF any one. He Is the mas
suits him and measures the successes
OF. the year by the contents of the
farmers gr0naries.
1.-THE man behind the plow has deliv-
cred his goods for 1906 and bids every
body happy New Year. His. grana-
ries are bullying TO OVERLOOKING, his Gel
lars are packed and his Iarder is stored
with the necessities of life. He. asks
aims from no man. He feeds the
world, reserving first enough for him
self and family. No one dare deny
the fact that the prosperity. and vel
fare Of the United States are intl-
mately associated with the wonderful
achievements of the American farmer.
He. has pushed ahead, keeping pace
with the times. In ten years, from
1890 to 1909, he increased the value OF
his products nearly 93 per cent. but
the most marvellous advances have
been made during the last five years.
From products valued Mt S3,742,-
100000 In 1900 he advanced to $4,4SO,-
100000 In 1903 and $4,900,000,0OO one
year later. 1t is by no means admitted
that these figures represent the full
value Of the farm products. Besides
the value of his products the real es.
tate values OF the farms have increas-
sd over 33 per cent in five years.
During the last few years the Amer
ican farmer has accumulated larger
sums OF money than ever before In
many sections his deposits have been
SO generous that the rate OF interest
was forced down. Alert to these con-
ditions, the farmer has. now larger
sums in permanent investment than
ha2nra LIZ, IL