Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-12-28
GREAT PROGRESS
IN AGRICULTURE
REVIEW OF LAST SEVEN YEARS
SHOWS HOW STATE HAS
INCREASED OUTPUT.
DAIRY GROWTH Is IMMENSE
Roads, Banks, Autos and All Other
Sorts of Wealth Show Effect of
Hard Work-Much cutover
Land Is Cleared.

Madison - Farm and factory are
working overtime, but in the face of
serious problems - shortage of helm
and difficulty in getting raw material.
What have we accomplished and
where do we stand?
The 1910 agricultural census is now
last years birds nest. Since then
there has been created ilA the DEPART
ment of agriculture at the capitol CO
operative crop reporting and statistical
division working with the United
States department of agriculture. In
addition, the last legislature passed a
new law whereby this division each
year takes an accurate census of the
state by dealing direct with assessors.
and $500 voluntary crop reporters
scattered in every county.
Since 1910 the states valuation of
real and personal property increased
from $2,700, 100000 to $3,6O0,0O0,OO0
Banking resources have grown from
SS00,0O0.000 to $500 100000
There has been increased settlement
in the newer parts of the state The
fertility of unoccupied areas is more
generally appreciated.
The amount of corn has increased
10000 acres in twenty-siX northern
counties alone.
Acreage of pedigreed seed grains
has trebled.
Cattle have increased by 500, 900.
Four thousand miles of public road
have been built.
Butter and cheese have increased
from 278,000,0OO poupnds to 3SO,0OO,-
600
Plants for the manufacture of con-
densed and evaporated milk have in
creased from nineteen to fifty-three.
Automobiles have increased from
1921 to 164,533 with AS per cent Of
them owned by farmers.
Alfalfa has increased from 1900
acres to 10000 acres.
The amount of land in cultivated
crops has increased more than $4,000
acres since the last census.
The greater part of the addition in
acreage, as might be expected, oc-
Cured in the upper counties of which
so much has been heard. Figured in
oats or wheat or rye, or any other
grain crop, you care to select, it
means an excess production over the
last census of ten bushels for every
man, woman and child in the state
But $4,000 acres represent only part
of the increased amount opened up,
for it excludes pasture, soy beans, root
and garden crops. This is to be re-
gretted, for in Wisconsin, or any other
central state for that matter, grass has
greater value, taking it one season
with another on an average, than any
cultivated crop.
The first step in clearing cutover
land is to get it in grass pasture be-
fore stump removal. SO far as the up
per part of the state is concerned,
there has been as much land brushed
off and put in pasture as has been
planted to cultivated crops; yes more.
What is such stump land pasture
worth? From SIS to So per acre per
year, if measured in butter fat and
the cows and land are good. Soy beans
is coming crop, probably more wide
ly adapted to varying conditions OF
soil than any other plant with the pos
sible exception of clover-as applied to
Wisconsin.
Who is bold enough to tell precisely
now much garden crops have increas-
ed since 1910, and especially since
last spring when we were trged to
plant plant, plant? On the outskirts
OF large cities, in backyards, in little
villages and hamlets and all over the
state, lots usually vacant have made
handsome contribution. The best
estimate shows $4,000 acres all told
an addition of 55 per cent over the
usual amount
Cooperation since 1910 has been
greater and more effective. Then there
We're no county agricultural represen-
tatves working with the state and
branch experiment stations to increase
production. Now there are twenty-slx
with seven other counties asking for
them.