The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-12-05
The FARM WEALTH OF
COUNTRY IS PlLING UP
Annual Report Of tho Secretary Of
Agriculture.
USEFUL DISCOVERIES DURING YEAR
Corn Is Still the Greatest Wealth.
producer, and Its Value This Year Is
Greater. Though the Crop Is Shorter
Than That of 1906--work of the De-
partment In Experimenting.

Greater, Though the Crop Is Shorter
Than That of 1906--work of the De-
partmcnt In Experimenting.
Washington Especially The elev-
enth annual report OF the Secretary
of Agriculture, which was Just made
public opens with the statement that
the farm production for 1907 is well
up to the average In quantity, while
its value Is much above that of any
preceding year. The farmer will this
year have more money to spend and
more to invest than he ever had be-
fore out of his years work.
The beet-sugar industry has grown
very rapidly during the past 5 years.
In 1892 the beet-sugar factories turn
ed out 13, 400 short tons of refined
sugar; in 1897, FIVE years later, 45,-
246 tons; in 1902, at the end of an
other five-year period, 21S,405 tons;
and In 1907 the estimated prod
uct reached 100000 tons.
Alfalfa Is wonderful plant for
producing wealth. It not only yields
several cuttings of most nutritious
hay during season, but actually
enriches the ground on which 1t
grows by taking nitrogen from the
air. The department and the state
experiment stations have done much
to promote the extension OF alfalfa
growing.
Corn Is The Banner Crop.
Speaking of the chief crops, the
Secretary says that corn ranks first
in Importance. Besides its large use
as a human food, as a livestock feed,
"the starch of corn becomes the fat
OF the hog and the finish of the
steer" thus becoming a great factor
In the production of meats and meat
products for export. While not as
large as that of 1906, the value Of
the corr crop of 1907 is greater and
is 26 per cent. above the average
value of the crops of the preceding
five years. He adds that eight such
crops as that of 1907 would pay for
duplicating every mile of steam rail-
road In the United States, with ter
minals, rolling stock and all property.
In value the cotton crop of 1907,
estimated to be from $3.50, 100000
to $675, 100000, takes third place.
| IL in the final estimates 1t does not
displace hay for second rank. The
commercial expectations are that the
crop will be found to be the third one
in size ever raised, and perceptibly
larger than the average crop of the
previous Eve years. Though its
farm value is probably little below
that of last years crop, in other re-
spects it will be the most valuable
cotton crop ever raised in this coun-
try, and per cent. above the average
farm value of the crops of the previous
flve years. Outside of the British
East Indies, the production Of cotton
in the British colonies. possessions
and protectorates was 1853 bales
of 500 pounds gross weight in 1904
and 10,016 bales in 1905. In the
French colonies, except French India
and Indo-C China, 400 bales were pro-
duced in 1904; in the German colo
MES, / 500 bales in 1905.
The wheat crop of 1907 is 625,-
$4,000 bushels, per cent. less
than the average quantity for the five
preceding years. But the value is
about $500, 100000, or 5h per cent.
more than the average, although the
crops of 1901, 1902 and 1905 had
each a slightly higher value than
that of this year.
Quantity Less, Value Greater.
The oat crop-741,5 ,521 900 bushels
lis 10 per cent. below the five-year
average. but the value Is &c per cent
above the average, or $360,000, 900.
Potatoes - 292, 2,427,000 bushels
are 2 per cent. above the average; ;
the value is 90.000,000, or &c per
cent. above the average.
Barley also Is 2 per cent. above
the average in quantity. while the
value is extraordinary, about 85 per
cent above the average. The guam
tity is 47,192,000 bushels; the value
s115, 100000.
Tobacco declined to 645,213,000
pounds, IL per cent. below the aver
age in quantity. with value OF $67,-
100000, or per cent. above the
average. The crop is smaller than
for many years.
The fiaxseed crop is 25,420, 900
bushels, worth 6,000,000; the
quantity Is per cent. below and the
value per cent. above the five-year
average.
Rye produced 31,566.00O bushels,
with value of 23,000.000; a guam
tity per cent. above the average and
value 29 per cent. above.
Rice produced a record crop OF
$685. $4,000 pounds of rough rice, or
9S per cent. above the average for
the three preceding years. The
farm value is $19,500,000, a gain OF
36 per cent. over the average. The
country now exports more rice than
II imports, owing to better varieties
which the department has helped the
grower to secure from the Orient
Hops produced S,3S0,O00 pounds,
worth $5,000,000. The quantity iA
as per cent. below the average,
while the value Is 29 per cent. below
The value of the total farm pro-
ductions in 1907 exceeded that of
1906. which was far above that of
any proceeding year. The total value
for 1907 is s7.412, 100000. an
amount 10 per cent. greater than the
total for 1906. II per cent. greater
than that of 1906. 20 per cent. above
that of 1904, 25 per cent. in excess
of that for 1903 and 81 per cent
greater than the total value for 1899.