Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-17
VALUE OF FARM CROPS
IN THE UNITED STATES

cupied by fruit and nut trees and .
vines, for which acreage was not re-
ported, improved land lying fallow, 1
and land in house yards and barn
yards.
The total value Of crops in 1909 was
equal 10 s59.66 per capita OF the popu- /
lation Of the United States, while the
value per capita in 1899 was s3946
Chased on the population OF the
United States on April 10. 1910, and
June l, 1900, respectively. There
we're 6,361,5O2 farms in the United
States IN 1910, so that the value OF
crops OF 1909 was equal 10 an aver
age OF 1858 per farm, while the aver
age value Of crops per farm 70 r1S99
was 1923.
The census has made no attempt to
ascertain the total net value of farm
products for 1909. including both that
OF crops and animal products. Merely
10 add the value OF these TWO groups
/ OF products together would involve eX-
! tensive duplication. since large guam
titles of the crops reported are fed TO
later as livestock products. II is i'm
possible 10 ascertain accurately the
amount OF such duplication, and the
attempt 70 do so, which was made at
the 18th census, was not considered
satisfactory. For this reason the rela-
tive Importance OF crops as a factor
in the agricultural production of the
United States can not be determined
precisely.
large part OF the extraordinary
increase in the total value of farm
crops between 1899 and 1909 is at
tributed 10 higher prices. This might
be inferred from the fact that, while
the acreage OF crops with acreage re-
ports increased only 90 per cent the
value Of such crops increased 50 per
cent II also appears by comparing
the percentages Of increase in the
quantity OF the various individual
crops with the percentages of in
crease in the value. Thus, for all
cereals taken together, the produc-
ton increased only II per cent,
while the value increased 1913 per
cent; for hay and forage the produc-
ton increased % per cent and the
value 7O.2p er cent; and for cotton
mot including cotton seed the pro-
duction increased III per cent and
the value 117.3 per cent.
A more precise calculation of the
average increase in unit values of
= crops has. however, been made by the
census bureau.
For the individual crops for which
I both quantity produced and value
= were reported at both censuses, the
= average value per unit in 1899 was
+ computed and this was multiplied into
T the quantity produced in 1909, thus
4 showing the total value which would
K have been reported for each crop il
1909 IL the acreage value per unit haC
U been the same as 10 years earlier. Fol
> certain crops, the values were not re
Il ported separately in 1899, and FOL
certain other crops quantities wer,
= not reported az either census. but tn,
:, analysis covers ninetenths of tn,
: crops of the country as measured b,
. value.
: The total reported value Of tn,
, crops covered by the computation il
= 1899 was 1851 ,979 900, and the tota
O reported value of the same crops il
y 1909 was $4.9@4, 100000, an increas,
r of 1913 per cent. Had the prices o
3 1899 prevailed, however, the value O
ia these crops in 1909 would hav
amounted 10 $685.. 1855. 900, or an II
% crease OF only 10 per cent over 1895
+ The difference between 81 .962. 35S. 90
e and S4,934 490, 900, or SlS72132. OO(
represents the amount added TO tn
d value Of these crops in 1909 by re;
son OF increase in prices over those o