Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-07
12|SGREATEST
CROP YEAR, SAYS
SEC'Y WILSON
In 10 Years Farmers Wealth
Has Increased 141 Per
Cent, He Shows.

WASHINGTON. Dec. THE most
productive year in the history of the
United States has drawn to close, ac-
cording to the annual report of Secre-
tary Of Agriculture Wilson to the pres
ident, just issued
Basing his figures on the census items
on wealth production on farms, Score
tary Wilson values the grand total of
the 1912 crop at $9.532, 100000 Be
sides the production of the soil, this
amount includes the live stock output.
In commenting on the productive
ness Of the past year in relation to
those preceding, Secretary Wilson said:
The enormous sum represented by
the crop output of the United States
for 1912 is more than twice the value
Of the wealth produced on farms in
1899, according to the census. and it
is about ne-half more than the wealth
produced in 1903
During the past sixteen years, the
farmer has steadily increased his
wealth production year by year, with
the exception of 1911, when the value.
declined from that of the preceding
year. If wealth produced on farms in
1899 be regarded as 100. the wealth pro-
duced sixteen years ago, or in 1897, is
represented as 81, and the wealth pro-
duced in 1912 as 2021. During the six
teen years the farmers wealth has in
creased 141 per cent During the past
sixteen years the wealth production on
farms, according to the census items
reached the grand total of more than
$105, 100000, 900
Upift in Country Life.
In conclusion, the secretary said:
There has been an uplift of agri
culture and country life. Beginnings
have been made in a production per
acre increasing faster than the nat
ural increase of population.
In this movement the department OF
agriculture has been gradually equip
ped to occupy the foremost place. 1t
came to learn; it has remained to teach.
Its teaching, its discoveries and its i'm
provements are permeating the national
agricultural life The forces that are
at work must cause ever-increasing re-
suits"
Secretary Wilson included a crop
statement which showed that the corn
yield held the lead. The estimated val
ne of this product was $1750, 10000 900.
l'he yield reached the high water mari
of 1853, 100000 bushels.
Hay was given second place in the
estimated figures contained in the Sec
retarys report. The yield was 72,425,-
600 tons, which was held to be worth
| 1861 100000 The Importance of this
crop" says the report, SIS better real
lied when it is observed that its value
is greater than that of the cotton crop,
and nearly as great as the combined
values of the wheat, tobacco and pota-
to crops"
Cotton Worth $86o,oo0,o00.
| The report states that it is too early
to estimate the production of cotton this
| year. $3.50, 600, 900 was placed as pos
sible figure for this crop. The wheat
yield, as estimated by the department
viii be worth to the farmer $59600O,00O
Oats were placed as the fifth crop in
order, the value being estimated at
| $47S, 100000. The value Of the potato
crop was placed at $190,0O0,00 the
barley crop at 1925, 600, 900, and tobac-
co at $97,000,000. The value of the
| 1912 fax seed rye, rice. buckwheat and
hops crops were set at $S0,000,000, $24,-
600. 900 $50, 100000 $12,OOO,0OO and
$11 600, 600 respectively. The production
| of sugar from the beet was set al
100000 tons, 100000 tons more thar
that of last year
Farm prices at which the crops OF
1912 are valued are declined from the
prices of 1911 in the cases of some inn
portant products. Barley has declined
SO per cent, corn 10 per cent, oats q
per cent, rye II per cent, and wheat
51-2 per cent, hay 10 per cent. pota-
toes 43 per cent, hops 43 per cent, flaN
seed 81 per cent, and beet sugar anc
cane sugar about - per cent. This
price of the cotton crop of 1912 has
gained about 25 per cent over that OF
1911. The gain in price for the rice
crop is nearly Is per cent, and for the
tobacco crop IL per cent, Butter has
increased II per cent, and milk nearly
per cent. Eggs have gained 16 pei
cent, and poultry about / per cent