The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-12-11
YANKEE FARMERS LEAD WORLD !N
 CROP PRODUCING

Washington, Dec. 1.---The Ameri- can farmer leads the world in indi- viduaI production of crops, Secretary Houston of the Department of Agri culture, asserted Tuesday in his annS>Fs report. While countries such as Bel gium, under intensive farming, get q higher acreage yield, he said, taking both acreage and yield per acre into account, the American agriculturist
 produces two and a half times as much as his Belgian and German i rivals, 2.3 times as much as the Brit i ish farmer, 3.2 times as much as the French, and more than six times as much as the Italian.
 The result of this and of the American farmers war work is shown in the 1919 American crop produc- ton, placed at three times greater in value than the average annual output during the five year period preceding the European war. The aggregate value of all crops this year is placed at s15.873, 100000 as compared to $14, ,222, ,OO0,0 900 in i 1918 and an average of $5,829 ,O00, 900 during the five year period. Live stock on farms this year was figured at $8,S3O,OOO 900 as against $8,284, 100000 in 1918.
 The average yield for all crops for the decade ending in 1918 is about 16 per cent. greater than for the average for the decade ending with i 1890, the report said. The average rate of increase for the past 25 years is about one-half of one per cent year.
 Estimates in the report put the 1919 wheat production at 918,471,- 900 bushels an corn at 2,910,25O, 900 bushels. Cotton is expected to reach 10, ,696, 900 bales and tobacco 1,316,- 5000 pounds.
 The farmers of the nation in 1919 increased the number of miIch COWS
 over 1914 by 2,7Oo.ooO, of other cattle, by 8,500,000, Of swine by 16,7OO,OO and of horses and mules by 1 1000, 900
 or q total of 28, 100000. The planting operations of the year began before the fighting ceased and the call was still for more wheat
 The Department suggested a maxi
 mum fall acreage of 47,2O6,O 900 acres,
 an increase of 12 per cent. over 191S There was actually planted 9,261,00O, the largest acreage in the nations history, 6,96O,000 acres more than in
 1918.
 The spring wheat acreage was 22,-
 593,O00 while the winter and spring plantings combined amounted to IT,
 
 the preceding record
 Ut Is estimated that the yield will exceed that of 1918 by 100000 bush
 els and will be the nations second record wheat crop. The estimated corn crop of 2,91O, 100000 bushels will
 be 300,000,OOO greater than that Of
 1918"
 The nation can further expand its
 output of commodities by culttvatins
 unused tiIable land, estimated at
 more than SO per cent of the total
 the report states. FZxpa nsfon is limit ed, however, by the supply of capital and labor
 Included in MT. Houstoh's recom-
 mendations were the following The building up. primarily under State law, of a system of personal
 credit unions, for farmers whose f. nancial status and operations make it | difficult to secure accommodations ! through the ordinary channels; ex- pansion of facilities for aiding in { marketing, especially extension of the
 market news and food products in spection services; continuation of Fed eral participation in road building through an appropriation of s1OO,- 900, 900 for each of the next 1 years: regulation and control of stockyards and packing houses; Federal legisIa- ton to protect consumers against adulterated feeds and fertilizers; in
 creased state support for rural schools and more definite instruction as to rural problems and conditions; leg islatiOn to improve rural sanitary con- dittons and provide hospital and medi-
 cal facilities.