The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-01-06
WEALTH. OF FARMS
PASSES ALL RECORDS
They Producedl s7778,O00,000
in 1908.
FABULOUS RETURNS IN 10 YEARS
The Value Of Corn Alone Was ST..
$4,000, 900, Enough to Pay the
Interest Bearing Debt and Build
the Canal.

Interest Bearing Debt and Build
the Canal.
Washington, D. G. - Billions Of
bushels of farm products, valued at
extraordinary total of s7,77S,000,-
900, were produced in the United
States In the fiscal year 1908, accord
ing to the annual reportof the secre-
tary Of Agriculture. The value of
farm products in 1907, Secretary Will
son declares, was four times the
value of the products of the mines,
including mineral oils and precious
metals.
1.-THE farmer" he said, "contrib-
utes eighty-seven per cent. Of the raw
material used in those manufacturing
industries which depend mostly or
considerably upon agricultural mate
rails, and those industries use forty
two per cent. Of all materials used in
all industries"
John D. Rockefeller may be the
richest man in the world, and his in
come may run up into the millions,
but as q mathematician he can hardly
be placed in the same class with Sec
rotary Wilson, who deals with BIZ
lions and scarcely mentions millions
in discussing the farm productions in
this country.
1.-THE value of farm products in
1905" says Secretary Wilson, lis ST.
093, 600, 1000 owe that of 1905, ST.
69,O0O,0 900 above that of 1905, ST.
GIG, 900, 900 above that Of 1904, ST.
6 10000 900 above that Of 1903 and
$3,O61,O00,000 above the census
amount Of 1900"
Then Secretary Wilson makes this
statement:
During the last ten years the
wealth production of the farms Of
this country has exceeded the fabu-
lous amount of 100000, 00O,0 O0. A
simple series Of index numbers shows
the progressive movement Of wealth
production by the farmer in another
form. The value Of farm products in
1899, the census year, being taken at
ten the value for 1903 stands at 1875.
for 1904 at 131, for 1905 at 134, for
1906 at 143, for 1907 at 159 and for
1908 at 1866"
"The value Of the corn crop almost
surpasses belief" to quote Secretary
Wilson. Corn to the enormous guam
tity Of 2,643, 900, 900 bushels, valued
at $1,615,0 900, 900, was produced in
the United States in 1908. Secretary
Wilson observes that this wealth has
grown out of the soil in four months
Of rain and sunshine and some
drought too, and that 1t is enough to
cancel the interest bearing debt of the
country and to pay for the Panama
Canal and fifty battleships.
While the figures are not all at
hand, Secretary Wilson says that the
indications are that the value Of the
cotton crop for the first time will
probably exceed the value of the hay
crop. Sixty-eight million tons of hay,
valued at s621,000,0 900, were raised
during the year. The wheat, amount
ing to $50, 1000 900 bushels, was val
ued at 1921, 100000. Seven hundred
and eighty-nine million bushels OF
oats, valued at 321,000,000, were
raised. The quantity and value OF
other crops are given as follows:
Barley, 1877, 600 bushels, worth
S6,000,0 900; rye, 100000 bush.
els, worth S22%, 100000; rice, 23,000,-
900 bushels, worth s1S,000,0 900; pc.
tatoes, 275,000,000 bushels, worth
$4,000, 900. The total quantity OF
cereals produced was 4,329,O0O,O00
bushels, valued at s2,694,GO0,000.
"To the farmer, who has averaged
hardly twenty cents a pound for the
butter he has sold, between three and
rpur cents a quart for his milk and
about one and one-half cents for each
egg, and even to the consumer, who
has paid prices much above these"
says Mr.. Wilson, ut is a striking fact
that the value of the farm products
of the dairy cow are getting closer
and closer to $800,000,000 and that
the eggs and poultry produced on the
farm are worth as much as the cotton
crop, seed included, or the hay crop
or the wheat CROP
Secretary Wilson asserts that in the
aggregate the value Of farm animals
sold and slaughtered. and Of animal
products at the farm amounts to
about three-eighths Of the value Of all
farm products, estimated upon the
census basis. This value is getting
closer and closer to the three billion
dollar mark, he adds.
The balance Of trade in agricultural
products is very largely in favor OF
the United States, according to Score.
tary Wilson, who says:
"The exports Of domestic farms ir
1908 being worth SLIT, 100000, the
exports of foreign products being over
$1O,000,O00 and the imports OF farm
products being $540,000,00 a bal.
ance of international trade in favor
of the farm products of this country
results in the enormous value of
s4S8,000,000."
Church Costing $4,000 Burned.