The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-12-17
FARM PRODUCTS 1908
VALUE IS 7 BILLIONS
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson
Tells Of Wonders in His
Annual Report.

Washington, Dec. 16.-After IL years
OF service as head OF the department
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, in his
annual report to the president. renders
q comprehensive account OF his stew
ardship and presents q review OF tho
progress Of agriculture In the United
States during this period.
The farm value OF all farm products
OF 1908 reaches the most extraordinary
total In the nations hlstory-ST, IT'S, 000.-
900. This Is about four times the value
OF the products Of the mines. including
mineral oils and precious metals. The
farmer contributes 81 per cent OF the
raw materials used in those manufac-
turing industries which depend mostly
or considerably upon agricultural ma
terials, and these industries use AZ per
cent of all materials used in all Indus
tries.
The gain in value OF farm products In
1908 over 1907 Is $3.50, 900, 900, and would
have been much larger a not the
prices OF cotton and hay been low. The
value OF products In 1900. the. census
year, being taken at 100. the value for
1903 stands at 1925; for 1904, at 1871; for
1906, at 1874: for 1906, at 143; for 1907, at
1859, and for 1908. at 165. During the
last 10 years the wealth production on
the farms of this country has exceeded
the fabulous sum OF $50. 900. 600, 900.
Corn Leads All.
Greatest OF all crops is Indian corn
! whose production this year Is 2,643, 000,- =
900 bushels. The value Of this crop is
%I,615, 900, 900. This wealth, grown out
Of the soil In four months OF rain, sun
shine I'M some drought, Is enough to
cancel the interest bearing debt OF the
United States n to pay for the Pan
m canal Inc so battleships. This crop
Is worth this year nearly as much as;
the great crops of cotton, hay and
wheat combined. Compared with the,
averages OF the preceding Ave years,
the quantity Is 2 per cent higher and
the value 43 per cent higher. INK
1t seems likely that the%cotton crop
Is one OF the highest three ever pro-
duced, but with a value next to the
highest or perhaps more. although the
farm price OF cotton this year is below,
the price OF last year by more than /
cent. For the first time in the history
of this country's agriculture the value
OF the cotton crop, including seed. has
apparently exceeded the value of the
hay crop, which has heretofore held
second place. -
been gathered this year, 68. 900, 900 tonsl
or IL per cent above the average of the
preceding Ave years. It's price is 81 per
ton less than 1t was a year ago but,
still the farm value OF the crop is $621,-
0O0.0 0 or 6 per cent above the five-year
average. N..t
Wheat Yield. 49,.
Wheat Is IL per cent above the five
year average in production and 90 per
cent above in total value. The $50, 000,-
600 bushels of this crop are estimated
to be worth $500. 900, 900 to the farmers,
or $66, 900, 900 more than the most valu-
able wheat crop heretofore produced.
Although the oats crop suffered from
drouth the value is 1921, 000, 900 for $780,
100000 bushels, or 10 per cent above the
hve-year average value and 8 per cent
below the average product. ..;'
The barley crop, 1877, 00C, 900 bushels, Is
IL per cent above the f~ive-year average
and its value, $50, 900, 900, Is 90 per cent
above. Both ave been exceeded only
once. /
Rye remains in the notch that 1t has
occupied in production in recent years.;
but its value, S22, 900, 900, is II per cent
above the average. 80
rhe largest crop OF rice ever raised,
5000, 600 bushels, Is this !>&r's, with q,
value of o $4,000 900, the crcn be-
Ing 20 per cent above the hve-year :. =
erage n its value % per cent above.
All cereals aggregate 1929, 900, 900
bushels. a total that has been exceeded.
I 81, 1874, 900, 900, or more than $500, 600, 900,
above that Of 1907, and exceeds stfl;
! more the totals of former years. Com,
pared with the preceding Ave years, the
number of bushels Is higher by 2 per,
cent and the value IL higher by 81 PEI,
cent. =
Unfavorable weather made the potatoi.
crop only 276, 000, 900 bushels, or s per,
cent below the f~ve-year average, all
though the value $3.50, 900, 900, Is Is per-
cent above and was never equaled by
any former crop.
For the first time this yea the value
of all farm crops equals $1,000, 0O0, 900,
| nnfl rF khtn AnknI Nhn xrnl,.a ~ ~ 49,
crop is about one-third: wheat, hay and
cotton combined make more than an.
other third; and the smaller crops the
remainder, or nearly o%ne-third. "'.
Although h farmer gets hardly 20
cents a pound for his butter. between
3 and 4 cents a quart for his milk, and
o IL cents for each egg yet the
value OF the farm products of the dairy
COW Is getting close to $500 ,000. 900, and
the value OF the eggs and poultry pro-,
duced on the farm Is worth as much asa
the cotton crop. seed included, or the
hay crop, or the wheat crop.
Tuberculosis. '
Statistics show that tuberculosis in
animals Is on the increase. A recent.
estimate. based on the meat inspection,
and the records of the tuberculin test.
shows: Beef cattle affected, I per cent;
hogs, 2 per cent; dairy cattle, 10 per
cent. The financial loss to stockmen
and dairymen because OF this disease
is estimated to be fully $14,0 900, 900 per
annum. tuberculosis "a be eradi-
Gated from our animals only by means
of systematic work OF the federal and
state authorities in cooperation. In
order to discover the disease, the.
tuberculin test should be systematic.
ally applied. The safest way of dispos-
ing of affected animals is to have them
slaughtered at abattoirs having com
petent veterinary inspection,