The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-24
FARM PRODUCTS
IN OLD DOMINION
Government Bulletin That Tells
of Some Things Grown in
Old Virginia.
INCOMPLETE DAIRY FIGURES
Total Value of Crops Shows
Marked Increase in One
Short Decade.

Washington, January 23.--Statistics
for farm products for Virginia are pre-
sented in a bulletin soon to be issued
by Director Durand. of the Bureau of
the Census, Department of Commerce
and Labor. 1t was prepared under the
supervision of John Lee Coulter, special
agent of agriculture.
The returns for live stock products
obtained at the census of 1910 like those
for crops. relate TO the activities OF the
calendar year 1909 1t is impossible 10
give a total representing the annual
production of live stock products for
the reason that the total value of pro-
ducts from the business Of raising
domestic animals for use. sale, or
slaughter can not be calculated from
the census returns.
Dairy Products.
Thelnumber OF farms in Virginia re-
porting dairy COWS on April Is, 1910.
was l4s. 565. but only l55.25o reported
dairy products in 1909. That there
should be this difference is not sur
prising. Doubtless some farmers who
had dairy cows IN 1910 had none in 1909.
while other farmers neglected to give
information for the preceding year, or
were unable to do SO perhaps because
the farm was then in other hands. |
Dairy products in general are somewhat
less accurately reported than the prln- |
cipal crops. This is particularly the
case as regards the quantity of milk
produced. The number of farms which
made any report of milk produced dur
ing 1903 was 1873 1872 somewhat less than
the total number reporting dairy pro-
ducts and the numb OF dairy cowsl
on such farms on April Is. 1910. was |
1926, 600. The amount of milk reported
was e5 SIS 600 gallons: assuming that
there were the same number of COWS
-, in
an average of 2s3 gallons per COW. In
considering this average, however, II
should be borne in mind that the guam |
tity of milk reported is probably de- |
hcient and that the distinction between
dairy and other COWS is not always
strictly observed in the census returns. |
By reason of the incompleteness of
the returns for milk produced. the Cen
sus Bureau has made no attempt to
determine the total value of dairy !
products for 1909. For convenience q |
partial total has been presented com
prising the reported value of milk and
cream sold as such and sold on the |
butter fat basis and the reported value !
Of butter and cheese made, whether for |
home consumption or for sale. The !
total thus obtained for 1909 is 81. 70i 600. !
which may be defined as the total value |
Of dairy products exclusive OF milk and |
cream used on the farm producing.
ported as produced by Virginia farmers |
in 1903 was sold as such. The butter !
made on farms in 1909 was valued at |
S, es3 800.
The Sheep Industry.
The total number of sheep of shear
ing age in Virginia on April Is, 1910. was
43s COO representing an increase of li9
per cent as compared with the number
on June /, 1900 1922 COO. The approx
mate production of wool during 1909
was 1872 600 feeces weighing 1887 000
pounds and valued at 1854 200. OF
these totals. about one-eighth repre-
sents estimates. The mum Der OF fieeces |
produced in 1909 was So per cent greater |
than in 1899. The average weight per |
fleece in 1903 was As pounds. as compared |
with So pounds in 1899, and the average !
value per pound was 20 cents, as COM |
pared with 20 cents in 1899.
Poultry Products
The total number of fowls on |
Virginia farms on April IS, 1910, was |
e.lOo,Ooo. OF the I7o,2o7 forms reporting |
fowls, 1900 did not report any eggs
produced in 1909. and 1895 did not |
report any poultry raised in 1909. The !
production of eggs actually reported /
for the year 1909 was 80 .545. 900 dozens, |
valued at se.5T 600. According to the !
Twelfth Census reports the produc- !
ton of eggs in 1899 was Is, $50 go dozens. !
figures. however. are somewhat in |
excess of the actual returns at that !
census. because they include estimates !
made to cover those cases where the |
schedules reported fowls on hand /
without reporting the production of /
eggs In order to make the returns |
for 1909 comparable with those pub |
Iished for 1899 similar estimates have
been made. the method of estimates |
and the Justification therefor being |
substantially the same as in the case of !
WOOL The total production of eggs
in 1909 including these estimates. was /
The total production of poultry in |
1909, including estimates made on the !
same basis as for eggs. was 1921 900 |
fowls valued at f6.145o00.
Animals Sold or Slaughtered.
The total value of domestic animals !
sold during 1909 was $50. l25 900 and that
of animals slaughtered on farms SIS
SIS. 600, making an aggregate of s2s- /
qs3. 900 This total. however, involves
considera BILE duplication resulting from
the resale or slaughter of animals !
which had been purchased by farmers
during the same year.
The value of all the cattle Onciud-
ing calves sold during 1909 represented
of animals sold. and the value of the
horses sold represented somewhat less
than one-ffth of the total
The census Of 1900 called for the re-
mails raised on the farms reporting
and the value of those slaughtered dur
ing 1899 which amounted. respective
" TO 81 500 O00 and S. $50 90. The item
OF sales is not closely comparable with
that for 1902. when the inquiry covered
al aaiee whether of. animals raisod on