Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-06
American Farmer
Leads the World

"
Washington, Dec. 6.-The American
farmer ieaos the world tn individual
production OF crops, Secretary hous-
ton. OIL the department OF agriculture,
asserted today in his annual report.
WAiie countries such as Belgium, I'M
der intensive farming, set higher
acreage Jle.u, he SAID, taxing poLn
ucreaee and yield per acre into &C
Count. tue American aarie Hurst pro-
ouCeS two and u iisiiI times as much
as mis- Belgian and German rivals, a.a
times as mLcn as the british Iarner,
~ times as Inucn as The French, ana
more than SAX tl1nSS as muCn as the
Italian.
The result of this and of the Ameri-
can farmer war " ork IS shown in the
1913 American crop production, placed
at three times greater in value than
the average annual output during the
five year period preceding the Europ-
can war. The aggregate value OF all
crops this year is placed at $15, $751;
O0v,000 as compared to $1i,222. 00O, 600
in 1918 and an average OF S5,S2s.000.-
COO during the five year period.
Live stock on farms this year was
figured at $3.50. 0o0.0vO. a. against 3s.-
2S4.000.0o0 In 1918.
The average yield Of all crops for
the decade ending in 1918 is about Is
Per cent greater than for the average
for the decade ending with 1890, the
report said. The average rate Of in
crease for the past twenty i've years Is
about one-half of one per cent a year.
Estimates In the report put the 1919
wheat production at s1S.471 900 bushels
and corn at 2.9l0,250.0OO bushels. Cot
ton. Is expected to reach 1886, 900
bales and tobacco 1.a16.5o3,00o pounds.
THE farmers of the nation in 1919
planted an acreage in leading cereals
greater by 33,000.000 than the pre-war
annual average which. it Is estimated
will yield sS5.0oO.Ooo more than the
pre-war average Mr.. Houston said
of war work ON the farms. They in
creased the number OF mich COWS over
1914 by 100000. of other cattle by
$500, 900. of swine by is. 100000 and OF
horses and mules by 100000, or q
total Of 2S,900,000.
The planting operations Of the year
began gefore the lighting ceased and
the call was still for more wheat. The
department suggested q maximum fall
acreage Of 47,2o6,0O0 acres, an In
crease Of IL per cent over 1918. There
was actually planted 4s,2s1.oo0. the
$4,000 acres more than In 1913.
THE spring wheat acreage was a.
$4,000 while the winter and spring
paintings combined amounted to H.
$4,000 acres or 100000 more than tho
preceding record.
1T is estimated that the yield will
exceed that Of 1918 by 1000 900 bushels
and will be the nations second record
wheat crop. The estimatedd corn crop
Of 2.91o.000,o0O bushels will DO seo,00o,-
900 greater than that OF 1918"
The nation can further expand it,
output Of commodities by cultivating
unused, tillable land, estimated as
more than 90 per cent of the total. the
report states. Expansion is limited.
however. by the supply Of capital and
labor.
No step to promote farmers CO.
operative associations along the right
lines, should be omitted the secretary
said. It Is estimated that these or
ganizations market annually approx
mate,y 1880. 900 900 worth Of COM
modities. t..,
Included in Mr.. Houston's recon-
mendations were the following:
The building up. primarily sunder
state law. Of system Of personal
credit unions, for farmers Z whote
financial status and operations make
It difficult to secure Accommodations
thru the ordinary channels: expansion
Of facilities for aiding In marketing,
especially extension Of the market
news and food products inspection
services: continuation OF federal par
ticipation in road building thru an
approximation Of $1,000, 100,000 for
each of the next four years: rsgula-
ton and control of stockyards and
packing houses: federal legislation to
protect consumers against adultsrated
foods and fertilizers; increased state
support for rural schools and more de-
finite instruction as to rural problems
and conditions; lesislation to improve
sanitary conditions and provide hos
pital and medical facilities.