The Irish standard., 1911-12-09
DECLINE IN VALUE
OF FARM PRODUCTS
LESS FOR 1911 THAN FOR PRE-.
cEpINo YEAR, SAYS SEC.
RETARY WILSON,
CROPS ARE WORTH MUCH MORE,
Products-Pertinent Paragraphs
From the Annual
Report.

n0PoTSs
Washington, Dec. According to
the annual report of James Wilson.
secretary of agriculture. Just made
public, for the first time in many years
the total value of farm products has
declined from that Of the preceding
year. The estimate for 1911 is based
on the census items. and Ia $8,417 ,000,.
900. or $277.000.000 under the total for
1910. Tho loss Is chargeable to the
general classes of animal products and
animals sold and slaughtered. Dairy
COWS are the only farm animals for
which increase Of price is Indicated.
Eggs, wool. butter and poultry have
suffered in farm price during the year.
In consequence Of the decline Of prices
OF farm animals and their products,
this group is estimated as having pro.
duced value Of $2.913,000, 900 In 1911.
of 1921 100000 below the amount for
1910.
On the other hand, the crops are
worth more than those for 1910, tho
estimate of their farm value being
e5,504 900 900, Il gain Of S44, 900 900 over
1910. Farm prices of all crops are
higher than for 1910 except for cotton,
cotton seed and flax seed. and this
general fact. notwithstanding the 9TH
or general fact that production was
low, makes about ten crops Of 1911
the most valuable ones of the same
kind that the farms of this country
have ever produced.
Corn the Leading Crop.
With a value of more than twice
that of the cotton crop this year and
but little less than the combined val
ules of the cotton, wheat. and oats
crops. corn is by far the leading crop
MS a wealth producer. The estimate
of 2.776O00O00 bushels indicates
production that has been exceeded in
only two years. The farm price of
corn is now higher than 1t has been
sine the records OF the department
began in 1866. except in 1883. and this
establishes Il total value for the crop
that reaches $1.700,00O,000 and breaks
the record.
So pre-eIaiuently is corn the leading
crop of this country that about three.
fourths of the worlds crop is grown
here. But the exports Of corn con-
stitute one-third of the worlds export
Of corn.
The year 1911 was a poor one for
record-breaking crops. since the list
Includes only cotton and sugar beets.
Apart from these two crops, not crop
reaches a place that is next to the
highest production of former years;
corn and rice win third place, and
buckwheat third place since the SIX
ties; the total OF all cereals occupies
fifth place, and the other crops are
farther down the scale.
The tale is reversed when the value
Of the crops are considered. The
crops that have won first place make
formidable list in spite Of the fact
that they have previous very hsh
Rllles to exceed. The list is corn,
barley, rye, buckwheat (since the sin
ties), potatoes, hops. flaxseed, sugar
beets Tor beet sugar., and cane sugar.
Some Pthy Paragraphs.
Mr.. Wilson's report begins with a
series Of short, pithy paragraphs, some
Of which are as follows:
The ho"- cholera serum developed in
this department is successful where 1t
Is properly made and applied
After years Of experimentation we
find we can grow Egyptian cotton In
southern California and bulbs in the
state of Washington.
Tho finest dates from tho Sahara Des-
srt succeed In our southwest
Seven hundred and fifty million dol
lars is the best estimate for poultry
products this year.
We are sending explorers to the ends
Of the, earth for new plants-and get
ting them.
country for all possible uses. Florida.
be mentioned as repositories.
If good ronds from the to
to both would be considerable.
The experiment stations OF. the several
states are doing better work each sue
The object lesson in agrlculture is the
best. teacher; we had 10000 of them at
atx hundred thousand short tons Of
beet sugar were made last year. In 81
There Of onk das
Of sugar this year.
The consumer pays dollar for food:
the farmer gets less than fifty cents for
It, Who gets ,r the rest sserces that con-
serve public health should be grouped
together in one bureau.
whe a an M Is n new amd fn of paRt
food but where the crops are sold year
by year irrigation will not of itself as
sure good results.
The corn crop Is moving northWard
by seed selection.
Our foresters are learning by expert
ments how to reforest 10000 acres in
annually to cover all the bare acres in
Z generation. 1t will be done.