The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1920-02-20
GREATEST YEAR
FOR THE FARMER
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FOR
1919 ARE ESTIMATED AT
ABOUT $2s,ooo,Ooo,ooo.
ONE RESULT OF WORLD WAR
Corn Was the Most Valuable Single
Crop. With Cotton Next-ProduetIon
and Prices VIII BE Maintained, Is
Prediction.
ex JAMES ?. HoRNApAY.


BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.
Washington farms of the Uni
ted States yielded approximately $685.
0O0,000000 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
ly TO the awakening that came to the
farmers of the country during the
world war. As a result Of the demand
for increased production, a demand
that reached every farm home in the
land, there was great gain in prOduc-
ton in 1917, another gain in 1913 and
then last year still another gain that
took the agrlculturist Of the country
over the top, so to speak.
In the total value Of the crops of the
country in 1919, S16025,O00,000, in
cludes items and groups of itemssthat
each exceed $1,000.00000O The most
valuable single crop was corn. On the
basis Of $1.35 a bushel the corn yield
of the year is worth $3,934 ,OO0UOO.
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 statisticians
believe that the value they have placed
on it is fair one.
The cotton crop was low in quantity,
but it commanded a good price and
ranked next to corn in total value, W.
235,OOO,000, which includes the value
placed on both lint and seed. Hay was
the third most valuable crop of the
year According to the governments
statistics the 10o,O00,OO0 tons grown
have a total value of 50, 129,OOO,0OO. In
reaching this total, il is pointed out no
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 9A 100000 bush
els, which, valued at $2.15 a bushel,
was worth $2,024,0O0000. All other
cereals combined are valued by the
statisticians at 81, 100000, which is
more than the total annual value CT all
farm crops prior to 1916. The vege-
table total, including potatoes and
sweet potatoes, is $fa79, 100000; the
fruit total, $730, 100000; seeds total.
S26l 100000, including beans and pea
nuts: sugar producing crops, $l47 ,0OO,-
coo. The total value of animal prod
ucts for the year is estimated at So
95T, 100000; dairy products, $3.50.
100000; poultry products, $l,359,OOO,-
coo. and wool clip, $160,000000.
The farmers of the United States
have shown the world what they can
do and what they will do when there
is a proper incentive for them to do it,
They have demonstrated their ability
TO feed most Of the world, if the world
will pay reasonable price for the
food The besr informed men connect
ed with the agricultural department
believe that the record for production
that has been set can be and will be
maintained,
Ii 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
go back to where they were before the
war
To Bring Home Americas Dead.
1t is now reasonably certain
that the bodies of the Ameri.
can soldiers buried in France will be
brought home Some time ago the
war department announced that in
reaching decision in this matter it
would be guided By the wishes of the
nearest Of kin of the dead soldiers. SO
as TO ascertain the wishes of the near
est of kin the department, by order of
Secretary Baker sent out $4,000 cards
Of inquiry. Thus far $4,000 answers
have been received. and of this num-
Der $4,000 express the wish that the
bodies be brought back, 10,400 that
the bodies remain in France, and 300
that bodies be reburied in country
other than the United States or
France. On the basis of the answers
already in, 70 per cent OF the nearest
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
whelming demand that the bodies be
brought home, and from this time on
it win proceed with that end in view.
There are still good many obstacles
in the way of carrying out the wishes
of The nearest of kin In the first
place, France still objects to the re-
moyal OF the bodies. The chief
ground for its objection is that the
sanitary laws OF the French govern
ment would have to be set aside
should the bodies be taken up for
shipment to the United Suites. In
spite OF the attitude of the French
government the belief prevails in of
fetal quarters bpra thot in Elmo a.,