Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-08
STATE HAS REAL CAUSES
FOR DISSATISFACTION
Continued from First Page

ton OF the staple farm crops OF Vir-
sinia we ind abundant reasons for dis
satisfaction and great opportunities for
Improvement.
The corn crop Of the State ranks
arst in money value. The United
States Agricultural Department reports
that for the ten years from 1905 to
1918 tho average yield OF corn per acre
In Virginia was 2;.2 bushels The
average for the United States wa. 266
bushels. Connecticut, where natural
conditions are certainly no more IA
rorable than in this state. had an aver
age OF 43.4 bushels. and a long list Of
states were ahead of Virginia. With
individual Virginia farmers making
records of from nifty to more than 100
bushels. we certainly have reason to
he dissatisfied with our average corn
production. No Virginia farmer should
be satisfied with less than six barrels
per acre. Looking out over the fields
OF the Valley and the Piedmont coun-
try across the mountains at this sea
son OF the wear, ii is hard to conceive
that any Virginia farmer housos 80
small n crop as that-and yet IL the
average Of the State shall be brought
years acreage and the ten-year aver
age farm price. approximately $4,000, 900
year would be added to the income
OF Virginia farmers.
MORE WHEAT PER ACRE
CAN EASILY HE GROWN
Again. an average production of 124
bushels OF wheat per acre is not a
record with which We can be satisfied
xIyt
United States. % bushels for Nevada.
goo for Washington and 25 for Maine
know OF an average Virginia farm
on which yield of forty-seven bushels
per acre was made last year under
normal conditions and treatment and
wherever that is possible by the use
OF intelligence certainly we should not
be satisfied with anything less than
an average Of twenty bushels through.
out tho State. On the basis Of last
years acreage and the average farm
price for ten years. a twenty bushel
crop throughout the state would add
nearly 100000 to the value Of tho
wheat crop OF Virginia
More than half a million dollars
would be added to tho annual value of
the oat crop by Increasing the average
yield from 1913 TO twenty-five bushels
per acre, and the annual value of the
potato crop would be increa sed by more
than 100000 by raising the average
production per acre from eighty-one To-
ninety bushels
Are these figures to make any Vir-
gilman comfortable content with exist
ing conditions?
MANUFACTURING IN VIRGINIA
is NOT WHAT TT SHOULD mr.,
n
iactures In common with other lead
ing southern States Virginia has
demonstrated her ability to compete
with tho North in manufacturing The
last census OF manufacture show thar.
as measured by the percentage of in
crease in the value of products, the
south, as whole. had gone forward
In five years from 1904 TO 1909 faster
than any section except some OF the
far Western States. where the volume
OF business done was SO small that
a relatively slight growth in the value
OF products showed a large percentage
OF increase. The census OF manufnc-
lures OF 1909 showed that the total
value OF the products OF Virginia fac
tories In that year was s2l9,724oOo, an
increase in the Ave years Of Ar per
cent, as compared with an increase for
the United States of 397 per cent.
Kentucky. with s2e3. $4,000, was the
only state south of the Ohio and Pc
tomac Rivers that surpassed VireinIn
In the value OF its manufactured pro-
ducts. North Carolina. with 50 per
cent. was the only Southern State
with a higher rate OF increase Yet,
encouraE inS IS these comparative fig
ures may be. IL we look into details
We can find n basis for that dissatis-
faction with things as they are which
should spur us forward TO larger ac-
plishments.
OPPORTUNITIES ARE ABUNDANT
FOR MANUFACTURING
Tho geographical location o. NIr-
ginia is most favorable for large de-
Velopment OF manufacturing. Among
the factors that are potent in deter
mining the location of industries are
the sources of supply of raw ma
terials. an available supply OF eompe-
tent labor. markets for finished pro-
ducts and transportation facilities for
concentrating raw materials and dis
tributing finished products. Within
the State of Virginia and In the States
TO the southwark are sources OF sup
ply OF raw materials for wide diver
sity OF manufacturing. To the north
ward, across the Potomac River. are
the markets of the most densely popu-
lated region i'll the United States, and
outside OF the Virginia capes are the
markets OF the world. The railway
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