The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-06
FARMING LEADS
PRODUCT OF 1905 NEARLY sevEN
BILLION DOLLARS
SECRETARY WILSON SAYS
Half Billion Over Crop Values Of
Last Year-BiIIion Dollar Corn Crop
Sugar Beet Crop Reaches Thirty
four Millions.

his tenth annual report takes occasion
to indicate the position of the producer
from the soil in the development OF
the country. He reports him as max
ing progress in the sciences and arts OF
agriculture. aided by the researches OF
the department and of the experiment
stations. and states that the time of
the man and the yield of the aero be-
come more responsive as more Inn
perative demands are made upon
them"
The laws made by Congress mt its,
last session, to be executed by the de-
partmeDt. have required and received
special attention. The meat law is
being enforced. and inspection Is now
made in over 1000 houses Rules have
been prepared for the execution of the
pure food law. Good has followed tho
operation of the law for the extefmina,
tion or the cattle fever tick In some OF
the southern states In dealing with
the gypsy and brown-tail moths of New
| England, imported parasites have been
| successfully established. beginning
has beeen made in the method of deter
mining the grading of grain, and the
law providing for the humane treat
ment of live stock in transit is receiv-
ing careful attention.
| ne economic revolution IN tnG IfI
and science of agriculture continued
during 1906, with tremendous resuIts
on the national prosperity. The value
of crops continues to rush forward be
yond comprehension; crops are strain
ing the freight carrying ability of the
| railroads, and the farmer alive to the
Importance of the place that he occu-
pies In the nation offers this yearly ac-
count of himself to the people. The
secretary promises that the fgureg pre-
sented in his review of the years full
production are advance estimates pre-
liminary to those to be made later by
the department.
The farm products OF the year have a
farm value of very nearly $6,S00, ,000,-
900, nearly half million above the
value OF 1905 and exceeding by over
100000 the figures for the last
census.
Corn remains by far the most valu-
able crop, estimated at S1,100, ,O0O, 900
Next comes the cotton crop, which, in
| cluding seed. should be worth to the
growers nearly sG40,000.0O0 The value
of hay. which is third In order, ap-
proaches sG0O00O.000. Wheat, the
fourth crop may be worth $3.50, ,000.-
| oo0;- oats, 100000, 900; potatoes $780,
| 100000. Barley, with value of $685.
| 600, 900, shows gain of twenty-one per
cent. In production in the past seven
years. The tobacco crop will be worth
about $55,0O0,00O.
remarkable development is that OF
the sugar beet, now the ninth crop in
value. The production in 1906 tx
placed at $4,000 long tons. valued at
$54 ,000, 900. Seven years ago the value
of this crop was $7,000,O00 The value
of all kinds of sugar sirup and mo-
laSSeS aggregates $4,000 900
On the whole, crop values have been
| either notably high or low in compar-
i5ol with recent years, but the high
price level in the general average has
raised the total crop value somewhat
as compared with 1905 and the high
preceding years. To reach still
higher point in this series of high an
nual values Is an achievement worthy
of attention.
The farm still overshadows the mill.
the factory and the worshop in provid-
ing exports. and with his surplus be-
yond the nations need the farmer has
loaded the fleets of oceans. For the
| fiscal year. ended June 80, 1906, this
surplus has been exported to the value
of s976,000,000. the largest amount
ever reached by agricultural exports
| for this or any other country and ex-
| ceeding the export value of 1901, pre-
| VlOusly the record year Among chief
exports cotton maintains a long lead.
with value of s400,00e,000. The pack
ing house products exported amounted
to value of S207 100000
For 1906 the agricultural exports ex-
ceeded similar imports by s433, 900 900,
| while products of all other Industries
secured balance in our favor of only
S85 200. 900. During the last seven
teen years the exports of the farmer
have exceeded the agricultural imports
by ,000,000.000, while all other pro-
ducers find themselves at the end OF
the same period with total on the
debtor side amounting to $450,000, 600
II real estate, domestic animals.
other live stock. implements and ma
chinery are included. the farmers cap
ital has increased since the census
valuation by probably $1,000, 900 900.
the present valuation being probably
S2S 900, 100000.
Cotton planters are now out OF
their former bondage to future main
tenance, and in the Middle West there
has been conversion OF million
agricultural debtors. paying high rates
of interest, into financially independ-
ent farmers, dcbt-free and Offering
their savings to the banks at as small
rate of interest as three per cent
Farmers are using their new capital to
| abolish the waste places of the land
and along lines OF improved produc-
tion. Formerly there was an abun-
dance of farm labor and a scarcity OF
farm capital. Now these conditions are
reversed labor is scarce and capital
| abundant