The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-23
Southern Crop
Aan f +: +. Gain Enormous

Ii
elaborate review of the value of the
farm products of the south last year.
showing the following astonishing
figures:
In 1915 the gain in the value of
all farm crops in the United States
over 1914 was s526,O7O,OOO.
OF this gain 1917, 2O9,O 900. or a lit
tie over 60 per cent. was in the
south, an amazing illustration of the
increase in the diversification of
southern agriculture.
The gain in the entire country
outside OF the south. was $2OS.S61
600. of sos, 100000 less than the
gain in the south.
The percentage of increase for tho
south in 1915 over 1914 was 10 81
per cent.
The percentage of increase for tho
rest of the country in 1915 over 1874
was only 5.25 per cent.
Animal Products Excluded
IL must be borne in mind that
these figures relate to farm crons
ana not to all agricultural products
ior they do not include the value of
animal products.
The Department of Agricultur. as.
inmates the total value of ANNA
products for the United States in
1919 at S3,S49.O0O.OOO, but does no,
attempt to make an estimate as tc
the value by states.
We will estimate the value If IN,
soutns animal products as 30 no,
cent OF the total for the whole conn.
try. This would make the total fo,
the south $1,054,OOO,OoO.
Taking the round figure of ST.
900, 900, to be on the side Of con
servatism. and adding it to the 81
ooo,GoO,OOO as the value of All apri
cultural products of the soutb las
year. and OF this only about $3.50
oOo,OOO was represented by cotton
Comparison Favors South
some very striking facts ar
Drought out by comparing the vain
OF farm crops in some of the south
ern states with eastern and wcster,
states.
FOR instance. the value of eorgia
farm crops last year, of S233,5O6
900 was more than $1,000, 900 in OK
cess OF the value of Pennsylvania
and was $32,OO0.0OO in excess of tn
value of Michigan's, $54.OOO,OOO il
excess or the value of Wisconsin
nearly $13,OOO,OOO in excess of tn
value Of North Dakota's and s66
ooo,ooO in excess of South Dakota.
Kansas. with all of it's wonderful
agricultural prosperity, exceeded TN
value of Geongia's crops by onl
S25,OO0,O00,OOO. but Kansas an
pennsylvania and New York an
Michigan and Minnesota, and eve
iowa, are all left completely in tn
shade in comparison with the vain
OF the farm crops of Texas. whic
figured up last year $4O7, 10000
III to this could be added the yalr
OF the livestock products of Texa
the total for that state would sho,
amazingly large figures.
The gain in value of farm crot
In 1915 In the United States owe
1909 was $1,302,O0O.O 900, of whic
$474,O0O, Of 36.4 per cent was in Il,
s0u'h' -
War Hurt South
When 1t is remembered that th
war gave almost a staggering bio
: to the south's cotton, while it emo
mously enhanced the price of wester
wheat and corn and resulted in
great increase in the acreage devo
ed to wheat, 1t is an amazing ia,
that the increase in crop values b.
tween 1909 and 1915 was 22.2 D,
cent in the south and only 27.2 D,
cent in the rest of the countr
whereas one might have expected u
rest of the country to make almo
twice as good showing as Il
south
Progress in some of these stat
has been very much larger than
others, suggesting an investigate
on the part of those which have n
relatively kept pace with the mo
progressive ones as to the cause
the small rate of growth.