The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-15
MarDelous Change Ln
 Agriculture in South

Baltimore. Aug. 14.-(special. J. Reviewing Americas amazing agricul- turai advance of late years. The Man. ufacturer's Record in this weeks issue says.
 Probably nothing more forcibly H. Illustrates this marvellous change than the fact that the value of the agricul- tural products of the South alone, which will this year be between s2,- 260.000.oo0 and s2.50o. .000. 900, will be more than the total for the United States in 1880 and about the same as for the entire country as late as 1890. Tn 1890 who could have dared to pre- dict that the value of the South's farm products of 1908 would equal the total for the United States In 1890. That the South. with 26.000.000 population, is producing as much value in agru- cultural outturn as the United States with 62.000.o00 people did in 1890, Is ope of the amazing facts of our his tory. Tn 1890 the value of all agricul- tural products outside of the South was $1.6s6.000,o00, or at least s600,- 100000 less than what the South alone will this year produce.
 The increase in the value of farm property of $s.000. 100000 between 1900 and 1907 Is nearly nine times as great as the aggregate nationai-bank- ing capital of the United States. It is more than one-half as large as the total capitalization, bonds and stocks included, of all the railroads in the United States. It Is nearly three times as large as the aggregate sav- ings-bank deposits of the whole coun- try. Think for a moment of the in- crease, simply seven years increase. in the value of farm property being nine times as great as the total na- tional-banking capital of the United States. three times as great as all the savings-banks deposits accumulated as the entire capitaniEation of all the railroads in the United States. into which the surplus money of the land has been pouring for over three-quar- ters of a century.
 In 1880 the s.565.00o people engaged in agriculture In this country pro- duced a total of $2.466. 1000, 900, or an average of $23s per capita. In 1907 the ll.99l,000 engaged in agriculture produced e total of S7.4i2.o0o.Oo or an average of s61S per capita. Dur ing that period the number of people engaged in agriculture increased by 40 per cent. while the value of farm products increased by 200 per cent and the value of all farm property ins creased by S9 per cent.
 In the brief period between 1900 and 1907 the. value of farm property ad- vanced in value from SEQ. 450. .00O, 900 to $2s.077. 100000, q gain of nearly Ss, ,000, ,00o.o 900. or 37 per cent, though the number of people engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits increased only Is per cent.
 A study of facts bearing upon agri- cultural conditions since 1870 shows that in that year the value of an ag- ricultural products per capita to those engaged in farm pursuits was s326. while from that figure there was a rapid decline to S2S6 In 1880, and du- ring the next ten years the per capita was practically stationary, as the av- craze In 1890 was only S2S7. If relia- ble figures were available they would show a marked decline between 1890 and 1ss6, because 1t was during that period that the agricultural interests erty. In those years farm products. not only in the South, but throughout the country. were greatly depressed. selling In many cases below the cost of raising. Farm lands likewise stead fly depreciated In value. By 1900 how ever, there had come a great change, due to the advance between 1897 and 1900, and In the latter year the value of farm products per capita was s45i, Q gain of S164 per capita. or about 57 per cent, compared with 1890. Since 1900 this gain has continued uninter- ruptedly. rising in 1905 to S55s per cap- ita. In 1906 to s57s and In 1907 to s61s.