The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-12-02
ouR AGRICULTURAL WEALTH.

Secretary Wilson in his thirteenth
annual report of the work of the de-
partment of agriculture sounds a
pean of rejoicing over the magnifi-
cent crops of the present year. He
does not hesitate to declare that
most prosperous of all years is the
place to which 1909 is entitled in agri-
culture The secretary goes on 10
say.
1.-THE yield has been bountiful while
most crops and prices have been high.
|Advantageously situated as he is In
most respects, the farmer is less and
less generally compelled to dump his
Ic,ops on the market at the time of
harvest. He does not need to work
4 for his board and clothes as he did
often in former times. when prices
were so low as to be Improbable.
THE agricultural production of 1909
must add to the prosperity of the
farmers. The record is unexampled
i In wealth produced and tells of abund-
ance in quantity. Year by year the
farmer is better and better prepared
to provide the capital and make the
expenditures needed to improve his
agriculture and to educate his chill
dren for farm life and work.
Unprecedented conditions of vol
ume and price have brought the
farmers of the United States a rev.
enue of $3.50, 100000 for the current
year II is true, as the secretary says,
that the value of farm products is SO
incomprehensibly large that it has be-
come row of figures. Ten years ago
the total value OF all the farm crops
produced in the United States was a
little more than one-half of their val
ue this year. The compensation of
the farmers for their labor has more
than doubled since James Wilson be-
gan to make these reports. The gain
over 1908 is 1859 100000 and during
the last eleven years the total has
been $4,000. 100000. In speaking OF
results Mr. Wilson says:
ut has paid of mortgages; 1t has
established banks: it has helped to
make the farmer a citizen OF the
world; it has provided him with
means for improving the soil and
making 1t more productive
The census of the United States fol
1900 reports 5.739.657 farms. which
have undoubtedly increased 10 pei
cent in number during the interval o.
nine years. and today there are prob
: ably 100000 productive farms in the
= country On this basis the average
production last year was about s1,40t
per farm.
Secretary Wilson gives some inter
esting details. In speaking of tht
corn crop he says:
z 1.-THE most striking fact in the his
u tory Of the worlds agriculture is the
II value OF the corn crop of 1909 in thii
II country, which amounts to abou
y s1.720 100000. This corn came vi
ID from the soil and out OF the air in 12i
n. days S14 100000 day for one crop
I, nearly enough for two dreadnoughti
= daily, for peace or war. 1t nearl,
- equals the value of the clothing ant
u personal adornments OF 76,000,00l
a people, according to the census o
a 1900. The gold and silver coin AM
&C. bullion of the United States is not o
greater value.
The value of the corn crop is tn.
- highest on record, and it is create
~ than the average OF the Ave preced
ny ing years by 36 per cent, while tn
lez farm price per bushe1 is greater by 8
he per cent. The price per bushe1 Of
sit. NOV. /, which was GIG cents ha
'ok been exceeded only once in the rec
sts ords OF the department of aericu
nm ture, beeinninv with 1866, and tina
IA. was in 1881. when it was CSC cent,
ew 'In quantity of production thi
nv years corn cron stands second vii
'lc 2.7G70o0000 bushels, being exceede
IAN by the crop of 1906, but it is create
Oh than the average crop OF the Eve or,
no ceding years by 35 per cent"
ere On the same authority the whe.
cron is greater hv 24e ner cont tha