Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-12-16
Secretary Houston's Annual
Report Shows Small
Average Yield.
HIGH PRICES FOLLOW
Wheat Crop is Only Record Breaker,
Which Brings Biggest Money Yield
in Recent Years.

Washington, Dec. l6.-With th'
most valuable crop of corn and cot
ton ever pro-uced, and the secont
most valuable oats crop, the value Of
the nations fourteen principal farm
crops this year aggregates the enor
NOUS total Of $4,940,301 900, the
Department of Agriculture announced
today in its final estimate of acreage
production and value. This is ar
increase of $1S2,958,0O0 over last
year, and of S35O,772,OO0 over 1911
based on the prices paid to farmers
on December l.
The acreage of these crops is equiv.
alent to {. farm one-seventh the size
OF continental United States. The eX-
act area planted TO these fourteen
crops, which is more than 95 pei
cent Of the total of all crop ares, was
299, ,433, 900 acres, an increase of al
1.oSt 100000 acres over last year,
and of more than 100000 over the
1911 area. More than one-third OF
the total acreage was planted to
corn.
For the crops as whole, the aver
age production per acre was valued
at about $3.50. The corn crop aver
,4a+etESI5.S6 per acre; cotton, S22.fS;
sugar beets, $59.64; wheat, S12.14;
oats, $I1.44; sweet potatoes, S6S.6O;
rice, $26.6S; potatoes, $62'10; to-
bacco, $aOO.39, mad rye, $12.84.
The figures are the official govern
ment estimates of acreage, produc-
ton and value, based on prices paid
to farmers on December l. These
fourteen crops are only a portion Of
the production of the soil, which ap-
proximates $6,OOO,OOO,O0O in value
each year. The total value of the an
imaI products of the farm is estima-
ted at about s3,O>O,GOO,O00 annually.
"The production Of crops in the
United States in 1913 was materially
below the average" the Secretary Of
Agriculture, David F. Houston, an
nounces, "the yield per acre of all
crops combined being smaller than
in any year of the past cecade, with
the exception of 1911. This shortage
was caused by severe drought, ac-
companied by excessive heat during
the sumo: months, in an importan,
portion of the agricultural district of
the United States, and particularly
in Kansas, Oklahoma. Missouri and
adjacent States.
"Inasmuch as crop production OF
1912 was unusually large, create,
proportion than usual has been car
ried into the present crop year, which
should mitigate somewhat the effects
of the shortage of this years crops
"The corn crop, the most valuable
farm product of this country, IS
smaller than any crop since 190'
Wheat production is the largest ever
recorded in this country. The crol
was practically matured before th'
drought became effective The oa
crop is the third largest of our his
tory. There has been steady expan
sion of the area Of this crop. The ha!
crop is smaller than the large croI
of 1912. Rather liberal rains in th
late summer and fall have produces
gooG pastures. The cotton crop wll
perhaps rank fourth or third Il
size.
''The acreage devoted to these fiv
crops (corr. wheat, oats, hay and COT
ton). comprises about 80 per cent 0
the area in all crops, and therefor
has predominating effect upon tn
general average condition of a
crops. Nearly all the minor crop
were materially smaller this yea
than in 1912, and the per acre yield
below their average.
"To the producers the lessene
crop production this year is largel
compensated by the increased price
received for their produce; for, a
though she total crop production
approximately IL per cent small
than last years production, the a
eraee level Of prices is higher tbs
last year.