The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-02-19
GREATEST YEAR
FOR THE FARMER
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FOR
1919 ARE ESTIMATED AT
ABOUT $4,000, ooo,o 900.
ONE RESULT OF WORLD WAR
Corn Was the Most Va liable Single
Crop, With Cotton Next-Production
and Prices Will Be Maintained, Is
Prediction.
By JAMES p HoRNADAY.

BY JAMES p. HORNADAY.
Washngton.-Th farms of the Uni
ted States yielded approximately so,
0OOOOO,0OO in the calendar year 1919
1t was the greatest year in the history
Of American agriculture. The value OF
the yield for the year was three times
greater than that of ten years ago. the
agricultural department believes the
splendid showing may be traced direct
! ~ TO the awakening that came to the
farmers of the country during the
world war. AS a result of the demand
for increased production, n demand
that reached every farm home in the
land there WIS a great gain in produc
ton in 1917, another gain in 1918 ahc
then last year still another gain that
took the agriculturist Of the country
over the top, so to speak.
In the total value Of the crops of the
country in 1919, $1GO25,OOO.0OO, in
cludes items and groups Of items that
each exceed $1,0OO0OO,0OO The most
valuable single crop was corn. On the
| basis of S1.35 a bushel the corn yield
| of the year is worth S3934,OOOOVo
! This is a sum In excess Of the value OF
! all crops produced in the United States
! prior TO 1904. OF course the larger
part of the corn crop is still unmarked
ed, but the governments statistlcianS
! believe that the value they have placed
! on It IS fair one.
The cotton crop was Tow in quantity
| but it commanded good price ana
ranked next to corn in total value, 81
! 235OOO,OO0, which includes the value
placed on both lint and seed. Hay was
the third most valuable crop OF the
year. According to the government
statistics the 109OOO,OO0 tons grown
have total value of s. 129,OO0,OO0. In
reaching this total, it is pointed out NJ
account is taken of the value Of paStur.
age. the total of which might properly
be reckoned at two billion at least
Wheat Takes Fourth Place.
Wheat ranked fourth in point OF
value The total production is figured
! by the government at 941 100000 bush
els, which, valued at $2,l5 "A bushel
was worth S2,O24,OOOOOO. All other
cereals combined are valued by the
statistcians at $7,474O0O,O00, which is
more than the total annual value Of all
farm crops prior to 1916. The yege
table total. including potatoes and
sweet potatoes, is Sl479, 900; the
fruit total, $73O,OO0OO0; seeds total
$2G1 100000, including beans and pea
nuts; sugar producing crops, $4,000.
! GEO. The total value Of animal prod
ucts for the year is estimated at S..
057OOOOOO; dairy products. $2,7S9,.
100000; poultry products, $l,359,OOO,
600, and wool clip, $l6OOOO,OOO.
The farmers of the United States
have shown the world what they car
do ana what they will do when there
| Is proper incentive for them to do 1t
| They have demonstrated their ability
| to feed most Of the world, If the world
will pay Il reasonable price for the
food. The best informed men connect
ed with the agricultural department
! believe that the record for production
! that has been set can be and will be
maintained.
1t is generally assumed that the
| high prices of the war cannot be main
tanned permanently, but the best Of the
experts are Of the opinion that prices
for farm products will probably never
20 back to where they were before the
war
To Bring Home Americas Dead.
It is now reasonably certain
that the bodies Of the Amerl
can soldiers buried In France will BIZ
brought home. Some time ago tn,
war department announced that il
reaching decision in this matter /
would be guided by the wishes Of thu
nearest of kin of the dead soldiers. S.
as to ascertain the wishes of the near
est Of kin the department, by order o
Secretary Baker, sent out $4,000 card
of inquiry. Thus far $4,000 answer
have been received, and of this mum
her 439OO express the wish that tn,
bodies be brought back, 10000 tina
the bodies remain In France, and 3Oi
that bodies be reburied in countr.
other than the United States o
France. on the basis Of the answer
already in, 20 per cent of the neares
Of kin want the bodies brought back
| 1t is assumed that this percentage will
hold good when all the replies are In.
The war department reckons the re
Spouse to its inquiries as an over
whclmlng demand that the bodies b
brought home and from this time o.
II will proceed with that end I'm view
There are still good many obstacle
In the way Of carrying out the wshe
Of the nearest of kin. In the frs
place, France still objects to the re
moyal of the bodies. The chic
ground for its objection is that tn
sanitary laws of the French govern
ment would have to be set asd
should the bodies be taken up 70
shipment to the United States.
spite Of the attitude OF the Frenc
government the belief prevails In o
fetal quarters here that In time al
raugemcnts can he made for the r,
turn Of the bodies.