Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-06
AMERICAN farmer
LEADS THE WORLD
ExceIs in Individual Produc-
ton of Crops, Says Mr..
Houston's Report.

World leadership in individual
production of crops belongs TO the
American farmer. Secretary Houston
ST the Department of Agriculture de-
"lared in his annual report today.
While countries such as Belgium,
under intensive farming. get higher
acreage yield. Mr.. Houston said, TAX
ing both acreage and yield per acre
INTO account. the American agricul.
SuTiSt produces two and one-halt
times as much as his Belgium and
German rivals. two and three-tenth
times as much as the British farmer!
three and two-tenth times as much
as the French and more than six
times as much as the Italian.
War Work Increases Crop.
81 The result of this and OF the Ameri-
can farmers war work is shown in
she 1919 American crop production.
placed at three times greater in value
Shan the average annual output dur
Jng the hve-year period preceding the
European war. The aggregate value
of all crops this year is placed at
S15.S1S. 600. 900 compared to S14.222.-
100000 in 1918 and an average of So
s29.OoO.oOe during the five-year period.
Live stock on farms this year was
figured at $500. 200. 900. as against
.S.2Sf 600, 900 in 1918.
The average yield for all crops for
the decade ending in 1918 is about
10 per cent greater than for the av-
eraGe for the decade ending with
1890. the report said. The average
rate of increase for the past twenty
hve years is about one-half of | per
cent year
1919 Production Figures.
Estimates in the report put the 1911?
wheat production at 91S.471 900 bush
els. and Germ at o.910.250. 900 bushels
cotton is expected to reach 1885, 900
bales and tobacco 1916 $50. 900 pounds
hp a nf ha tiop IN,
planted an acreage in leading cereals
greater by $4,000. 900 than the pre-war
annual average. which. it is esti
mated. will yield 635.000,0O0 more
than the pre-war average" Mr.. Hous-
ton said of war work on the farms
They Increased the number of mich
cows over 1914 by 100000. of other
Cattle by 100000. of swine by 49,
- 100000 and of horses and mules by
1.0O0.Go0. or total of 2S.900,O00.
The planting operations of the
year began before the fighting ceased.
and the call was still for more wheat.
The department suggested maxi
mum fall acreage of 47.206.000 acres.
an increase of l. per cent over 1918.
There was actually planted 1926, 900.
the largest acreage in the nations
history. 6,960.eo0 acres more than in
1918
The spring wheat acreage was e.
$4,000 while the winter and spring
paintings cOlUDlneu dHHouHteu 10 H.
S54 900 acres. or 100000 more than
the preceding record.
1T 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
be SOC, 100000 greater than that of
1915"
Further Expansion Possible.
The nation can further expand it's
output of commodities by cultivating
unused tillable land, estimated at
more than SO 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
alive associations along the right
lines should be omitted. the Secretary
said 1t is estimated that these or
CARNATIONS market annually approx
mately s1.500.000.008 worth of COM
modities.
Included in Mr.. Houston's recon-
mendations are the following:
The building up. primarily under
credit unions for farmers whose
financial status and operations make
it difficult to secure accommodations
through the ordinary channels: ex-
pansion of facilities for aiding in mar
keting, especially extension of the
spection services; continuation of
federal participation in road building
through an appropriation of 500, 000.-
900 for each of the next four years:
regulation and control of stock yards
and packing houses; federal legiSla-
tion to protect consumers against
adulterated feeds and fertilizers: in
creased state support for rural schools
and more definite instruction as to ru-
raj problems and conditions; legisla-
n
lions and provide hospital and medi-
cal ia ABILITIES.