Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-12-13
JAMES WILSON
Secretary Of Agriculture

adds, "but prosperity followed ana
grew with unexampled speed. Begin
nings have been made in production
per acre increasing faster than the
natural increase of population. There
has been an uplift of agriculture and
of country life.
During the past sixteen years the
farmer has steadily increased the
wealth production year by year. with
the exception of 1911. During the six
teen years the farmers wealth produc-
tion increased 141 per cent.
Most productive of all agricultural
years in the country has been 1912.
The earth has produced its greatest
annual dividend. The sun and rain
and the fertility of the soil needed not
the human controversies, but kept oh
working in cooperation with the farm
ers' efforts to untilize them. The
prices at the farm are generally prof
table and will continue the prosperity
that farmers have enjoyed in recent
years. The total production of farm
wealth is the highest yet reached by
half billion dollars. The grand total
for 1912 is estimated to be 1882. .000.-
900. This is more than twice the val
ue of the farm wealth in 1s9O''
More than S105. 900, 100000 is the
grand total of farm wealth production,
the report says. during the past six
teen years. an amount equal to about
three quarters of the present national
wealth.
The most effective move toward re-
duced cost Of living is the production
of greater crops, says the secretary,
and this move he declares is due to
the work of the Department of Agri-
cultural colleges and experiment sta
tions and to the help of the press in
publishing every movement TO help
the farmers. The nation, he adds, for
got its farmers in the general scheme
of education of past years and few
philanthropists thought OF them when
giving for education. but they are wax
irg up and thinking for themselves
and Cogress has been good to them.
The secretary first takes up the
work of the various bureaus of his
department in the past year and then
tells of the growth in some instances
from their foundation, of these bu-
reaus during the time he has been
head of the department. He praises
highly the experts who have worked
under him.
1.-THE great and growing movement
carried on by the department for ag
ricultural betterment," he declares,
has not been sustained solely by one
man nor by few men. A choice crop
nr echolar1y pxDprfs in thair snecio1
lines of endeavor has been growing in
membership, in breadth of view, and
in the practical application of their
efforts.
"The department is prepared to con.
tinue and increase its public service.
During sixteen years it has progressed
from the kindergarten through the pri-
mary. middle and upper grades of de-
velopment until now 1t has thousand
tongues that speak with authority"
From a department with 2.444 EN-
ployes in 1897 and an appropriation of
s3.272,902, it has increased to 1858
employees at the beginning of the pres
ent fiscal year with an appropriation
this year of almost $25, 100000 Where
as there are now $4,000 requests ev-
cry week for department publications,
there were but 500 in 1897; and during
this period AIS 100000 copies have
been distributed. In soil investigation
IN area of 623.ooo square miles, equal
to that of Germany, France, Great
Britain. Ireland and Italy, has been
covered.