The Colorado statesman., 1917-12-01
CROP OF 21 BILLION
SHOWS RECORD PROSPERITY OF
AMERICAN FARMERS.
Thanksgiving Day Found Horn OF
Plenty Brimming Full.-corn Is
First on List With Value
of s4,65e 900, 900.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Washington - Thanksgiving Day
found Americas horn of plenty with
lew 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,OOO,OOO,-
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 $4,000, 100000 greater than
last years and more than the COM
bined value of any two previous
years. There were record crops OF
corn, oats, rye, white and sweet pota-
toes, tobacco and beans.
The principal farm crops will reach
more than $4,000, 100000 in value,
minor crops $4,000, 100000, and ami
mails and animal products, including
butter, cheese and eggs, about S6,500,-
900, 900 This years values are based
on preliminary production estimates,
and prices paid to producers Nov. 1,
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. IL.
Corn, the country's greatest crop,
accounts for about one-third of the in
creased farm products value of this
year. 1t is estimated at about $4,659,-
900, 900, compared with $2,296,OO0,O0O
last year, $1,723, 100000 in 1915, and
81 1,577, 100000 the average for the five
years 1904 In point of quantity
corn this year saw its largest produc-
ton, being G6,OOO,OOO bushels more
than the 1912 record crop, 60S,00O,OOO
bushels more than last year and 459,-
600 900 bushels more than the 1904
five-year average.
Next in point of value comes cotton
with crop valued at about S1,9S1,-
600 900, accounting for more than one
tenth of the years total value in
crease. Production this year is about
600,0 900 bales larger than last year and
2,S4O,00O bales smaller than the 1910
IA five-year average.
Hay is the next most valuable crop,
with q total of ,390,000,000. COM
pared with 81, ,162. 900, 900 last year and
81 1,056, 100000 in 1915.
Wheat, the fourth crop in point OF
value, is worth more than a billion
dollars, for the second time in Amer
ican farming history. Its value is es-
timated at $1,32O, 100000, compared
with 025,765,000 last year, S943,-
$685. 900 in 1915 and s6"N ,939,O00, the
average value of 1904 crops.
No other crop has reached the bill
lion-dollar total, although oats comes
within S25 1000, 900 of that figure, be-
ing valued at $975,000000, compared
with $656,OOO,0OO last year and the
1904 average of $442,909, 900.
Potatoes passed the half billion-dol-
lar mark, with a total of s562,000,000,
as compared with $417,063,0OO last
year, 221,992,O 900 in 1915 and $213,-
651 900 the 1904 average.
Other important crops show in
creased values. Barley, estimated to
be worth s225,OOO,OO0, is more than
with value of S95,000,O00, is worth
almost four times as much as its
value averaged for the 1904 crops,
and both buckwheat with a value OF
s26, 900 900, and sweet potatoes, with
a value of $94,OO0,0O0, are more than
double the 1904 average. Flaxseed
is valued at s29,000,000, and rice at
$4,000, 900, both being less than last
year in point of value, because OF
smaller production. Tobacco, rec
ord crop, is valued at $249,0O0, 900,
compared with 100000 last year
and $1O3,O61, 900, 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 $120,000,O00, COM
pared with s45, 900, 900 last year and
s27. 100000 in 1915; onions at $19.-
341, 900, compared with $9,SS2,000 last
year and $7,2S1 900 in 1915; kaffirs at
SIPS, 100000, compared with $53,269,-
600 last year and 1,15700O in 1915,
and broom corn at $13,500,000, COM
pared with $6,549,000 last year and
S4,7s9, 900 in 1915.
The peach crop is valued at $685.
100000; pears, s13,500,O00; apples,
$2OS, 1886 900; sugar beets, $54,00O,Oo0;
cabbage, $14,O00,000; hops, $12 100000,
and cranberries, $2,400,000.
t...-z oEO Dar P,rraI