The Benson signal., 1917-12-08
CROP OF BILLION
SHOWS RECORD PROSPERITY OF
AMERICAN FARMERS.
Thanksgiving Day Found Horn OF
Plenty Brimming Full.-Corn Is
First on List With Value
of $4,659, 100000.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Washington. - Thanksgiving Day
found Americas horn of plenty with
new high record fullness.
Responding faithfully to President
Wilson's appeal and the needs of a
war-torn world, American farmers pro-
duced a gross total of $21 ,000,O0O,-
900 worth of farm products, equaling
In valeu the nations total expenditure
In one year of war.
That great total being the value OF
all crops, animals and animal pro-
ducts, was $6,5O0,O00,0OO greater than
last years and more than the COM
bined value of any two previous
years. There we're record crops of
corn, oats, rye, white and sweet pota-
toes, tobacco and beans.
The principal farm crops will reach
more than 2,OOO,0OO,OOO in value,
minor crops $2,500,O00,0OO, and ami
mails and animal products, including
butter, cheese and eggs, about $6,5OO,-
100000. This years values are based
on preliminary production estimates,
and prices paid to producers Nov. l,
as reported by the Department of Ag-
riculture An official estimate Of the
principal farm crop values will be
made by the Bureau of Crop Estimates
on Dec. II.
Corn, the country's greatest crop,
accounts for about one-third of the in
creased farm products value of this
year. It is estimated at about $4,659,-
100000, compared with $2,296,O00,OOO
last year, 723,OO0,OOO in 1915, and
$1,577, 100000 the average for the five
years 1904. In point OF quantity
corn this year saw it's largest produc-
ton, being 66,OO0,000 bushels more
than the 1912 record crop, 608,OOO,OOO
bushels more than last year and 459,-
100000 bushels more than the 1904
five-year average.
Next in point of value comes cotton
with crop valued at about $1,9Sl,'
100000, accounting for more than one
tenth of the years total value in
crease. Production this year is about
100000 bales larger than last year and
2,84O,0OO bales smaller than the 1910
IA five-year average.
Hay is the next most valuable crop,
with a total of $1,390,000, 900, COM
pared with $1,162,OOO,0OO last year and
$1,O56,OOO,O0O in 1915.
Wheat, the fourth crop in point OF
value, is worth more than billion
dollars, for the second time in Amer
lean farming history. It's value is es-
timated at $1,320,0OO,00O, compared
with O25,765,0OO last year, $943,-
100000 in 1915 and $6"' $4,000, the
average value of 1904 crops.
No other crop has reached the bill
lion-dollar total, although oats comes
within $25,00O,O00 of that figure, be-
ing valued at $975,000,OOO, compared
with $656,OOO,OOO last year and the
1904 average Of $442,909,0OO.
Potatoes passed the half billion-dol-
lar mark, with total of $562,000,O00,
as compared with SALT ,063,000 last
year, 1921, $4,000 in 1915 and $213,-
651,0O0 the 1904 average.
Other important crops show in
creased values. Barley, estimated to
be worth 225,OOO,O0O, is more than
double the 1904 average value; rye,
with value of $95,000,000, is worth
almost four times as much as it's
value averaged for the 1904 crops,
and both buckwheat, with a value OF
q wit h
a value of $94,00O,000, are more than
double the 1904 average. Flaxseed
is valued at $29,000,000, and rice at
$33,O0O,O00 both being less than last
year in point of value, because of
smaller production Tobacco, a rec
ord crop, is valued at $249,O 100000,
compared with $169,000,00O last year
and $1O3,061,OO0, the 1904 average.
Striking increase in value is shown
by the beans, onions, kaffirs and
broom corn crops, all of which more
than doubled last years value. Beans
are estimated at $12O,000,000, COM
pared with $45,0O0,O00 last year and
$27,OOO,OOO in 1915; onions at $19.-
341,0OO, compared with $9,SS2,O0O last
year and $7,281,000 in 1915; kaffirs at
$12S,OOO,OOO, compared with $53,269.'
600 last year and $51, $4,000 in 1915,
and broom corn at $13,500,000, COM
pared with $6,549,O0O last year and
$4,7S9,O00 in 1915.
The peach crop is valued at $685.
100000; pears, $13,500,000; apples,
$2O8,S36,OO0; sugar beets, $54,O0O,O0O;
cabbage, $14,OOO,O0O; hops, $12,0O0,OO0,
and cranberries, $2,40O,oOO.