El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-25
FRANK G. CARPENTERS LETTER.
UNCLE SAM AND OUR FOOD SUPPLY

acres. This is affected somewhat by
the market gardens about the cities,
They are increasing in number, and
they cut down the average size OF the
farm.
Use More Machines.
Notwithstanding the rush to the
cities and the difficulty of getting
farm labor the crops are as great or
greater than ever before, and they are
in the quantity of food produced, not
withstanding the loss Of the labor,
comes from the greater use OF farm
machinery. This is increasing enor-
mOusly. Sixty eight percent more farm
tools were employed in 1910 than IN
1900, and that notwithstand the IN
crease in the number Of farms was only
10 percent. The value or the addl-
tional machinery was more than half
billion dollars. The money invested in
such machines has jumped from zoo
millions TO 1900 millions within the
past decade.
Increase in Farm Values.
The census shows that the value Of
the farms per acre has greatly IN
creased. and this. strange to say Is
largely the case in those states from
where there has been most emigra-
ton to the city. Tt is so in Illinois,
Indiana and Iowa, states which have
had a large falling off IN the farm
As to the Increase in the value per
acre of land the United States over,
that has more than doubled within
the past ten years It has been over
los percent, meaning jump from SO
TO $S2 per acre The values IN many
parts of the country have been much
! in excess Of the present income pro-
dUcing power, which locks as though
the farmers were capitalizing their
is also more popular now than ever be-
fore, and many men are going into
it with the idea of making 1t a profit
able business.
Farm Mortgages.
only a few years ago it was said
that the United States was 0lanketed
with farm mortgages 1 talked with
the director of the census as to this
matter. He says that many of the
farms are still mOrtgaged, but that
the present mortgages to a large eX-
tent represent improvements or the
purchase Of more land whereas in the
past they represented the debts incur
red in going into farming and to some
extent in carrying on the business,
which was then not so profitable. The
mortgages as now recorded by the
census deal only with farms operated
by the owners. In 1910 there were
in the neighbOrhOod Of four million
such farms and more than two thirds
Of them were free from debt / doubt
whether any other business in the
United States viii show a better cOndi-
ton
Moreover the prosperity Of the farm
er IS evidenced by the increased use
Of machinery, and by the rise in the
value OF the buildings and other i'm
prOvements. Within the past ten years
more than POO million dollars worth
Of new buildings have been erected.
IN other words, the farm buildings are
a percent better than they were ten
years ago, and that Notwithstanding
IS percent more machinery IS being
employed. These increases may ac-
count for some pr the mortgages.
About Our Live Stock.
The figures of the census as to the
stock upon the farms give some reas-
ons for the high prices Of meats. Our
farm animals which 90 to the packing.
house are not increasing in the same
ratio as our population. In other
words, there are more mouths TO be
fed and less meat to feed them.
Take the item Of cattle outside the
diaries. There has been a falling off
OF more than two million in the num-
Der or them within the past ten years
ana this means almost percent Of
the whole. There has been a decrease
In our sheep, and although I have NOT
the figures the same is probably true
OF the hogs The cattle have increased
IN value less than one percent in a
decade an Increase which by no means
corresponds with the increase in the
prices. There has been also an in
crease IN the value OF the sheep, and
mat OF our swine has risen S166, OOO,-
vVU OuI4uB the last ten years.
Ihe census has not vet completed
It's tabulation Of poultry figures. but
1 am told that those Of the egg crOD
VIII run high into the millions and
tnat IN value they may almost equal
the wheat crop. April is, 1910. the
enumerators found that there were in
IOuhu numbers on the farms of the
United States 2S0,00O.OO0 chickens.
100000 turkeys, 100000 ducks and
ABOUT 100000 geese, and that the
1oW4s were WORTH all told, something
IKE S19U,UOOsOOO. These figures might
be compared with those of 1900. but
the DAY or that census was June J.
when nearly all the hens had their
DroOdS OF little ones running about
them, and when there were far more
proporuOnately than there were In
april OF that year. the time at which
this last census was taken.
Mr.. Durand says that the same CON
slderat1on has to be observed as to
the figures of the two censuses re1ot-
ing to hogs. The 1910 cenSns -,
taken in April, the 1900 census in
June, which, considering that nearly
all Of the sows of the country have
their utterS In the spring. would give
a far different result as to fbe 70
crop had the 1910 census enumera.
ton occurred two months later.
The Big Crops OF the Nation.
The products Of our farms are best
gOIIen from the agricultural depart-
ment. 1t takes a census every wear
ana It's average, therefore, represents
both the fat and the lean years. Sec
rotary Wilson has made a speciality of
farm values. and, according to him.
the money that comes out Of our soil
Is so great that If it could be saved
and piled up it would in a few wears
SUFFICE to buy the whole world. he
figures that we have raised farm
products worth $4,000, 900. 600 in the
past y years and that we are now
getting In the neighbOrhOOd Of $1,000
COG. 600 a year out Of the soil We
got Just under that figure in 1910
when the amount was $500. 600 OO0
larger than for the year just past.
At that time the corn crop amounted
to three billion bushels and was worth
100000, 900. The cotton crop was
worth $500, 100000 and the hay over
s70O,000,00O. What hay will be worth
this year the Lord only knows. 1t
is selling here at Washington for $50
a ton
The wheat of 1910 was worth over.
100000, 600, the oats $3.50, OOO. 600 and
the value Of the potatoes ran into the
hundreds Of millions. As to livestock
that also brings in it's hundreds OF
millions per annum, and there are a
number. of other things that the farm
erS sell each Of which