Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-06
OF US.
LEADS WORLDN
GROWING CROPS
His Individual Efforts Count
For More Than His Belgian
and German Rivals

Washington, Dec. G.-The Amer
I lean farmer leads the world in in
dividual production of crops, Secre-
tary Houston of the. Department of
Agriculture. asserted today in his
annual report. While count ries such
as Belgium. under intensive farming,
get q higher average 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 Bel
gian and German rivals, 2.3 times
as much as the British farmer, and
80 times as much as the French.
and more than six times as much as
the Italian.
The result of this and of the Amer
lean farmers war work is shown in
the 1919 American crop production,
placed at three times greater in
value than the average annual out
put during the five-year period pre-
ceding the European war. The aS
gregate value of all crops this year
is placed at $15,S73, 100000 as COM
pared to $14.222 100000 in 1918 and
an average of S5,S29,000. 900 during
the iive-year period.
oll lStl Ills TINS year was
figured at $S,S30,0O0,000 as against
$S,2S4 100000 in 1918.
Average Yield Increases
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
1890, the report said. The average
rate of increase for the past 25 years
is about one-half of one per cent Il
year
Estimates in the report put the
1910 wheat production at 9lS,471,-
600 bushels and corn at 2,910.250,-
600 bushels. Cotton is expected to
reach 10,696,000 bales and tobacco
1916, 6,55S.000 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 esti-
mated will yield 635,000,000 more
than the prewar average" Mr.. Hous-
ton said of war work on the farms.
They increased the number of
milch COWS over 1914 by 2,70O,0OO.
of other cattle by 100000, of swine
by 100000 and of horses and
mules by 100000, or total of
2S,O0O,0OO.
The planting operations of the
year began before the fighting ceas-
ed and the call was still for more
wheat. The department suggested a
maximum fall acreage of 47,206, 900
acres, an increase of II per cent.
over 1918. There was actually plant
ed 49,261, 900, the largest acreage
in the nations history, 6,96O,O0O
acres more than in 1918.
The spring wheat acreage was
22,59S,0O0 while the winter and
spring paintings combined amounted
to 1854, 900 acres or 100000 more
than the preceding record.
1t is estimated that the WELD
will exceed that of 1918 by 100000
bushels and will be the nations sec
ond record wheat crop. The esti
mated corn crop of 100000. 900
bushels will be 300,000,OOO greater
than that of 1918"
The nation can further expand its
output of commodities by cultivat-
ing unused tillable land, estimated
at more than GO 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 Secre
tary said. 1t is estimated that these
organizations market annually an
proximately $1,500,000 worth of
com moditiaS