Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1907-12-24
FARM WEALTH.
Interesting Reading That is Worth
WhiIe-Figures That Talk.

Interesting Reading That is Worth
WhiIe-Figures That Talk.
The annual report of no other
cabinet officer is interesting to so
many people as that of the secre
tary of agriculture. 1t deals
with an industry or family of in
dustries In which more people
are engaged than any other. and
on which people depend more
than on all others. Statistics
showing the products of the soil
and their value are scarcely dry
reading, and never less so than
this year, when the value of the
country's agricultural products
exceeds all previous records, and
the figures are available just when
a good many people imagine the
country is hard up.
The farms Of the country, ex-
elusive of dairy. livestock and
poultry products, yielded crops
amounting in value to $7,412,-
900, 900, or about $88 for every
man, woman and child in the
country. This is a greater sum
by several hundred million dol
lars than was ever produced be.
fore./ And to this is to be ADDED
81, $50, 900, 900 for livestock,
$500, 900, 600 for dairy products
and 5000, 900, 600 for poultry pro-
ducts, making grand total of
a little over $40, 900, 900, 900 or
about $I2o per capita.
Several crops were not SO great
in quantity this year as in some
others. This is true of both wheat
and corn, but the price is higher.
Corn remains the most valuable
crop and was about up to the
average of the last five years in
quantity, though much less>than
the,ctop of 1906 Or 1905, but she
value is ST, $50, 900, 900, OF 2o per
cent above the 6ve-yeaE average.
The United States produces bout
four-hsths of the worlds yield of
corn.
Next in value comes hay, or
cotton, the value of the former
crop being not easy to estimate
accurately, but it is thought to be
worth SOS, 900, 900 more than that
of 1906, the record crop up to
that date. ..
The earlier portions of the cot
ton season were unfavorable, but
it turned out better than expect
ed, as corn did, and its value, in
cludiug that of seed, is estimated
at $3.50, ooe, 900 or $675, 900, 900.
| Wheat is the fourth crop in val
ue and falls S per cent in quanti-
tv below the average of FIVE years
but the $4,000, 900 bushels pro-
duced viii. have been worth at
the farms at least $500, 900, 900.
Oats show a falling of, both in
Quantity and quality, barley gain
ed heavily, potatoes are worth
] $1oo, 900, 900. The tobacco crop
lis smaller than tor many years,
yet its value is more than eve,
before except last year; rice, both
in quantity and value, made
! record crop; and hops lapsed 4.e
per cent below the 6ve-year aver.
age in quantity and go per cen'
lin value. :.
In the summary of the secre'
tary's report sent out, no mention
is made OF the fluit crops. or o1
vegetables except potatoes and
i. sugar beets, which would add
greatly to the total. Altogether,
1 while large part of the season
: in most of the country was dis
couraging, the results, owing
partly to better conditions later,
but more to high prices, are very
satisfactory. In all-round agri'
cultural production there never
was and never can be country
eaual to ours.-Oregon Journal.
1