Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-10-30
NEARING S5,OOO,OOO
MARK IN SUMTER.
Agricultural Products EnOr.
mOuSIy Increased.
Record That is Rapidly
Pushing Sumter to
Top of Column.
s4,ssO,OW

The above is given as a conserva-
tive estimate of the value of the agri-
cultural products of Sumter county
for the year 1909
At the rate the county is develop
ing, with the subdivision of the large
plantations, the opening up of new
lands, and the heavier fertilization of
the soul, with consequent greater pro-
duction to the acre, it is but matter
of few years when the value of its
agricultural products, even with cot.
ton selling down to or 10 cents a
pound, will aggregate a cool five mil
lions Of dollars, making this one of the
greatest agricultural counties of the
United States,
There are those who assert that this
year the aggregate value of all agri-
cultural products in the county will
reach the $5,000,000 mark, but the
above is given as result of the es-
Inmates of men inclined to be eau
tiously conservative in their estimates
of the average yield per acre, who rec.
ognize that while some farmers have
greatly increased the average produc-
tion Of corn, oats and hay, many have
not done so, and while the averages
used in computing the above figures
may not do full justice to the value
of these crops in Sumter they cannot
be accused of being in anywise an
overestimate.
Cotton, of course, is the great
money crop of the county. yet it is
by no means, as shown, and as well
known to Sumter county people. the
only great crop of this county.
The production of the county is
placed at $4,000 bales, raised on about
$4,000 acres of land. This cotton is
shipped into Americus, Plains, DeSoto
and Andersonville. Considerable cot
ton comes to Americus from Lee and
Webster counties as we'll. Placing
the average price this season at 10 1-2
cents pound, and the average weight
of bale at 500 pounds, the average
value per bale is s62.50.
In oats it is estimated that there
was an acreage this year of approx
imately 10000 acres, which netted an
average crop of twenty bushels to the
acre, worth 20 cents bushel or $14
to the acre, a total value for that crop
of $2S0,000.
On this same oats land was grown
a magnificent crop of hay. From the
corn fields also came heavy produc-
ton of hay. Both are estimated as
equivalent to 10000 acres producing a
ton to the acre, worth $40 a ton, or
$600000 for the hay crop of the
county.
Corn is the second greatest crop
in the county, in regards to acreage
and value, coming directly after cot
ton. Approximately $4,000 acres of
corn was under cultivation this year.
With the improved cultivation of the
past two or three years twenty bushels
to the acre is regarded as s,conservative
statement of the yield, worth 81 a
bushel, or total valuation for the
corn crop of Sumter of cool one mil
lion dollars.
To these four great crops of the
county there must be added the peach
crop, the sugar cane crop, with its
thousands upon thousands of gallons
of the finest Georgia syrup, the water
melon and cantaloupe crops, the po-
tato and other vegetable crops, the
poultry and other money producers
of the farms of the county. The value
given for the total of all agricultural
production outside of the four crops
is regarded as none too excessive.
1t is estimated that about 175,000
acres Of land were under cultivation
in the county. In the estimates made
there was no account taken of the
thousands of little patches cultivated
by the negroes for their home use,
which, of course, are really a money
! element in the life of the county, pro
viding this labor with some of the
/ necessities of life Directly at home.