Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-11

representing 69.1 per cent of the tota
improved land In farms (29,491,19
acres). Most Of the remaining improves
land doubtless consisted Of improved
pasture, land lying fallow, house ant
farm yards, and land occupied b!
for which was not reported.
The general character OF Iowa agri
culture Is indicated by the fact -tha
about three-fourths (73.2 per cent? OF
the total value Of crops in 1909 was
contributed by the cereals. and about
one-fifth IS.9 per cent? by hay ant
forage. The remainder representing
7.9 per cent of the total, consisted
mostly OF vegetables, fruits and nuts
the forest products.
The total value Of crops in 1909 was
60.9 per cent greater than in 1899. This
Increase was clearly due in part to
higher prices. There was decrease Of
7.3 per cent in the total acreage OF
crops for which acreage was reported
the greatest absolute decrease being
that In the acreage of cereals, and the
only important increase in that Of hay
and forage.
Vegetables.
The total acreage of potatoes and
other vegetables was 252,243 and their
value $12.021,000. Excluding potatoes
and sweet potatoes and vans, the acre
age Of vegetables was SO,402 and their
value s5,266,000. the acreage showing a
decrease and the value decided in
crease as compared with 1899. The re-
port distinguishes between farms
which make the raising Of vegetables a
business of some Importance (having
produced vegetables valued at $500 or
more In 1909 and other farms, on most
or which vegetables are raised mainly
for home consumption. There were in
1908. Gas farms in the first class, repre-
senting only very small proportion of
all the farms that reported vegetables,
but containing nearly one-fifth Of the
acreage and producing about one
seventh Of the total value of vegetab les,
the average acreage Of vegetables per
farm for these farms being 1928 and the
average value Of products per acre
s53.54.
Small Fruits.
strawberries are by far the most i'm
portant Of the small fruits raised in
Iowa, with biackberries and dewber-
nes, and raspberries and loganberries
ranking second and third, respectively
The value Of the strawberry crop in
1903 was $479,511. The total acreage Of
small fruits In 1909 was 7,211, and In
1899. 1886, decrease of 25.2 per cent.
The production in 1909 was 10,344,00
quarts, as compared with 11,327,OOO
quarts, as compared with 11327,00
quarts in 1899, and the value 1857, 900,
as compared with sS7S,OOO.
Orchard Fruits.
The total quantity Of orchard fruits
produced, in 1909 was 7,234,0oO bushels
valued at $4.2S4,00O. Apples contribut-
ed more than nine tenths of this guam
tity. cherries and plums and prunes
most Of the remainder The production
Of grapes in 1909 amounted to 11,7OS,-
600 pounds valued at $330,O00, and that
of nuts to 1.721,O00 pounds, valued at
$4,000. Most of the nuts were black
walnuts and hickory nuts.
The production of all orchard fruits
together in 1909 was 1898 per cent
more in quantity than in 1899, and the
production of grapes also increased.
The total value of orchard fruits in
creased from $1,S50,000 in 1899 to S4,-
$4,000 in 1908, and of grapes from
$166,000 in 1899 to $330,000 in 1909. 1t
should be noted in this connection that
the values for 1899 include the value Of
more advanced products, derived from
orchard fruits or grapes, such as cider,
vinegar, dried fruits and the like, and
may therefore involve some duplica-
ton. while the values shown for 1909
relate only to the products in their Or
iginal condition.