The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-06
AMERICAN FARMER
LEADS THE WORLD
In Individual Production of Crops, Sec.
Houston Declares in His An
nual Report.

Washington, d. c., Dee 6. - The
American farmer leads the world in in
dividual production of crops, Secretary
Houston of the department of agricul-
ture asserted to-day in his annual re-
port While countries such as Belgium,
under intensive farming, get higher
acreage yield, he said, taking both acre
age and yield per acre into account, the
American agriculturist produces two
and half times as much as his Bel
gian and German rivals, 2.3 times as
much as the British farmer, 80 times
as much as the French, and more than
six times as much as the Italian.
The result Of this and Of the Ameri-
ean farmers war work is shown in the
1919 American crop production, placed
at three times greater in value than
the average annual output during the
five-yea period preceding the European
war. The aggregate value of all crops
this year is placed at $l5,s73,0 ,000,000
as compared to sl4.222 100000 in 1918
and an average of $500, ,000, 900 during
the five.year period.
Livestock on farms this year was fig
ured at $3.50 900 900 as against S.
2s4, ,000,000 in 1916.
The average yield for all crops for
the decade ending in 1918 is about l6
per cent greater than for the average
for the decade ending with 1890, the re.
port said. The average rate of in
crease for the past 25 years is about
one-half of one per cent year.
Estimates in the report put the 1919
wheat production at 9ls,4I7 900 bush
els and corn at 2,9l0,250,0O0 bushels.
Cotton is expected to reach lO696,000
bales and tobacco l,3l6,553,0O0 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,
viii yield 35,0000O0 more than the
pre.war average" Mr.. Houston said of
war work on the farms "They in
creased the number Of milch cows over
1914 by 100000, of other. cattle by
s.500,000. of swine by l6T00,0O0, and
Of horses and mules by 100000, or a
total of 2s,900000.
"The planting operations Of the year
began before the fighting ceased, and
the call was still for more wheat. The
department suggested a maximum fall
acreage Of AZ 7206,000 acres. an increase
of IL per cent over l9ls., There was ac-
tually planted 4926L000, the largest
acreage in the nations history, $500
600 acres more than in 1918.
"The spring wheat acreage was %
$4,000, while the winter and spring
paintings combined amounted to H.
S54,00 acres, or 100000 more than
the preceding record.
1T is estimated that the yield will
exceed that of 1918 by 100000 bush
els and viii be the nations second rec
| ord wheat crop. The estimated corn
crop Of 2,9l0,000000 bushels will be
300,000Do0 greater than that of 1918.
The nation can further expand its
output OF commodities by cultivating
unused tillable land, estimated at moro
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 cooper.
ative associations along the right lines
should be omitted. the secretary said
Ii is estimated that these organizations
market annually approximately $780,.
100000 worth OF commodities
Included in Mr.. Houston's recon-
mendations were the following
The building up, primarily under
state law, of system of personal cred
| it unions, for farmers whose financial
status and operations make it difficult
to secure accommodations through the
ordinary channels; extension Of facili.
ties for aiding in marketing, especially
extension of the market news and food
products inspection services; continua
tion of federal participation in road
building through an appropriation of
$l00,000,00O TO reach of the next four
years; regulation and control of stock
yards and packing houses federal leg
islation 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; legis-
lation to improve rural sanitary con
ditions and provide hospital and medi-
cal facilities.