The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-08-27
WEA[THOF FARMERS
SHOWN IN THE REPORT OF AGRI-
CULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
Secretary Wilson States That the
Value This Year Is Two Hundred
and Ninety Millions Above That
of 1907; Indian Corn Leads All
Crops; Cotton Exceeds Hay Yield;
What Dairy Cow Has Done.

Washington. Aug. l9-"Billions
upon billions the farmer has again piled
up in his wealth." says Secretary Will
son of the department of agriculture, IN
his annual report, made public today.
In the crop year of 1908, the total
valuation of farm products was $1,7IS,-
100000, the biggest in the worlds his
tory. as the secretary suggests.
"While these figures contain some
duplication" Mr.. Wilson explains, ION
the other hand they do contain some
important items OF wealth produc-
ton and the fact remains that the un'
thinkable amount of seven and three
fourth billions of dollars of wealth have
been produced by farmers this year for
national sustenance and for export 20
the craving millions of foreign ma
tions.
1T is a real tangible wealth as it eX-
lists at the time il leaves the hands OF
its producers. 1t is about four times
the value of the products of the mines,
including mineral oils and precious
metals.
From these agricultural products
the manufacturing and mechanical in
dustries that use agricultural products
as materials draw SO per cent of their
total materials and these industries
use AZ per cent of all materials used
i'm the entire business of manufac-
turing.
These figures Indicate the extent to
which the manufacturing industry are
indebted to agriculture although 10 rec
ignition is given to this in the an
nual statements of the value of manu-
features.
Value Rises S2oo,ooo,o 900.
The farm value of farm products
this year is S29O,OOO,OOO above the
value of 1907 and $3,06l 100000 above
the census amount for 1899. During
the last ten years the wealth production
of the farms of this country has ex-
ceeded the fabulous amount of $780,,
OOO,OOO,OOO
Greatest of all crops is Indiar
corn, the priceless gift of the Indian
The value of the crop almost surpasses
belief. 1t is $l,6l5, 100000. The wealth
that has grown out of the soil in
four months of rain and sunshine ant
some drouth, too, is enough to pay
for the Panama canal and fifty bat
tleships.
For the first time in the history oil
the country's agriculture, the value OF
the cotton crop, including the seed, has
apparently exceeded the value of the
hay crop $6l2 100000, which has here
tofore held second place for Ions
series of years.
Wheat Shown to Be Above Average
"Wheat is Is per cent above TIN
five-year average in production ant
1913 per cent above that average il
total average.
1.-The value was 1920, 100000, whicl
has never approached nearer than 500,
100000
"The value of the farm products o
the dairy COW are getting closer an
closer to $SOO,OOOOOO and the eggs an
poultry produced on the farm ar
worth as much as the cotton crop
seed included, or the hay crop, or tn
wheat crop. To the farmer who ha
averaged hardly twenty cents poun
from the butter that he has sold, thre
and four cents qart for his milk an
one and one-half cents for each eg:
and even to the consumer, who has pal
prices much above these; this increas
in value is striking"