The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-06
From the Boston Globe.

(Q James Wilson. Secretary of Ag-
 riculture is doc6ment full of interest particularly to the farmers of riety of reasons. the farmers should be thankful that q year which opened so inauspiciously for them has ended with such plentiful harvests.
 It appears that the production of the farms, all things considered, is well up to the average of the previous five years in quantity while it's value to the farmer reaches figure much above that of 1906. which py far exceeded any previous years wealth production on farms.
 Out of the farming operations of 1907 the railroads will get an average haul of freight, and foreign countries will take a heavy excess above home consumption.
 The farmer, says Secretary Wilson, will have more to spend and more to his years work"
 Consumers will not begrudge farm CTS their prosperity, but they will be apt to wonder why the products of farms should cost so much in cities when they are so plentiful that for eign countries can be supplied with them in immense quantities.
 Here are a few statistics showing how well American farmers can care for other countries:
 During the fiscal year ended June aO 1907, the domestic exports of farm products were valued at $1,055. 900, Q %. or $79, DOC, 900 above the high record for 1906. Plant products made up four ffths of this total, cotton alone amount ing to s4S2 900 900.
 Animals and danimal products (mostly packing house products) were exported to the value of $255.ooo,o00. The live animals exported were worth $41 .000,- 900 and the dairy products $8,6oo. 900.
 Cotton is the greatest of all our eX- ports having in 1907. 291a per cent of the total value. To animals and animal products must be credited IT per cent of the total; to grains and grain prod ucts 101s per cent; to all other agrf- cultural products 61a per cent, and to forest products per cent. Thus farm and forest products made up. on a value basis, TIA per cent of the total exports of the United States in 1907"
 The farmer, as the report points out, depends not alone on his field crops He produces meat animals he keeps dairy cows, he raises sheep for mutt ton and for wool, he raises horses and mules. he keeps poultry. The animals sold from farms and those slaughtered on them in 1907 were worth about y1.- 27O. 900 ,oOo, or nearly twice as much as the cotton crop.
 It must not be supposed, however that the farmer reaps all the benefit and money indicated by these million dollar statistics. On the contrary, he is at the mercy of avaricious trusts middlemen and others, and Is lucky to get what he does. If he could treat the consumer better he would undoubt- country Is excessive. but it Is not the farmers fault.
 The general agricultural prosper indicated by the report, however. very gratifying. Every one desires g. crops, and the fact that we contii to have them sh ould increase the pu . lie confidence in the stability of ou resources as a nation.
 The growth of agriculture is show by the fact that the value of the tou farm productions in 1907 exceeded tn; of 1908. which was far above that 'f any preceding year. The total val for 1907 is 100000, an amou 10 per cent &reater than the total