The Goodland republic., 1906-01-12
WEAITH o. o. FARAls.

The Scientific American, in an arti-
Gle upon the Wealth Of Our Farms, -
gives figures that are astonishing to
the average mind, and occasions the
suggestion that the humble farmer is
after ali at the base OF all our na-
tiOnaI strength and material magni-
tude- The article says;
The wealth production OF the
farms Of the United States reached in
1905 the highest amount ever attained
in this or any other country, the total
figure being nearly six and one-half
billion dollars. Four Of the crops
reached new records as to value,
namely, corn, hay, wheat, and rice.
Corn exceeds previous yields both in
amount and in price, and hay, wheat
and rice reached new figures as to
value only. The general average Of
production was high in the case Of
every crop, and the prices ran higher
still. The secretary Of agriculture es-
Inmates that in addition to the enOr-
nous yield Of wealth, the farms Of
the country have themselves fncreas-
ed in value during the past five years
by over six billions OF dollars; and he
puts the matter dramatically when he
states that with every going down Of
the sun during the past five years,
there has been registered an increase
OF three million four hundred thou
sand dollars in the value Of the farms
Of the country. An analysis Of the
that corn reached its highest prOduc-
ton with 2,70S, 100000 bushels,
clear gain of 42,OO0,OOO bushels over
the very profitable year OF 1899. The
hay crop is valued at sos million dol
lars; cotton at SIS millions; wheat at
525 millions; oats, 282 millions; pO-
tatOes, 13S millions; barley, So mill
lions, and tobacco at 50 million dol
lars Very remarkable is the increase
Of 81 million dollars in the value Of
dairy products, which reached the
total valuation of SIS million dollars.
The farmers hen. says the secretary,
is becoming a worthy companion to
the COW, the annual production Of
eggs being now 20 billions. Poultry
products have climbed to a value Of
over half a billion dollars, so that
poultry cOmpetes with wheat for pre-
cedence. The total value OF horses
is estimated at S1,2OO,OOO,OOO. There
are over 171k million miIch cows,
valued at nearly half a million dollars
During the year farm produce to the
value Of S27 million dollars was ex-
ported During the last sixteen years
the domestic exports of farm products
have amounted tO12 billion dollars, or
one billion dollars more than enough
to buy all the railroads Of the cOun-
try at their commercial valuation.
Clear evidence Of the prosperity Of the
farmer is seen in the fact that under
a recent amendment Of the national
banking law. allowing the establish
ment OF banks with a capitalization Of
less than $4,000, there have been
1,754 such banks established in the
last year, nearly every one Of which,
says the secretary, is located in n
rural community and the capital fur
nished by farmers. For the first time
in the financial history Of the south,
the deposits in that region exceed one
billion dollars. Should there be no
relapse from his present position as
a wealth producer, three years hence
the farmer Will find that the farming
element, which forms 35 per cent Of
the population, has produced an
amount Of wealth within the preced-
ing ten years equal to One-half Of the
entire national wealth produced in
three centuries"