The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-05-02
'BIG SHRINKAGE IN THE
COUNTRY'S CROP VALUE
A DECREASE OF FIFTY FIVE
PER CENT IS SHOWN IN
LAST TWO YEARS.
WORTH TWENTY BILLION
In 1919 the Crops Grown in the u
S. Were Valued at % Billion. Fig
ures Given Out by Department of
Agriculture Are Interesting.

Agriculture AIG lHtCI CStllSs
WASHINGTON, D. C.-With on
ly an per cent reduction in produc-
ton since 1919, the value of the farm
crops of the United States for the
year 1921 was IS per cent below the
1919 valuation.
This news was made public by the
department of agriculture, which esti-
mated the gross wealth produced by
farmers in 1921 at $12,366,000,002,
about two-thirds of the aggregate val
ue of farm products in 1920, which
was $18,263, 100000 and little more
than one-half the aggregate for 1919,
which was $25,783,000,000.
| During this period, 1921. produC-
ton of 10 crops, representing about IS
per cent OF the total crop acreage, tell
| 8 per cent Placing the average guam
tity of production of these crops for
the five years 19l0-14 at 100, crop pro-
duction in 1919 was l08 in 1920 it
was III; and in 1921 it was 100 The
quantity Of crop production in 1919
was about the same as during the pre-
ceding seven years, that in 1920 was
the largest ever recorded, and that in
1921 was the lowest since 1918.
Basis for Estimates.
The valuation figures given by the
department are to be regarded as IN
dex numbers of wealth production on
farms. They do not stand for cash re-
ceived, nor for income. They are sub
ect to fluctuations in the purchasing
price Of the dollar. In the processes
of arriving at an aggregate OF the val
Tie of the gross wealth produced on
farms in crops and animal products.
the department estimated or adopted
estimates for 81 crops and SO animal
products, altogether 127 items.
For the two groups OF items OF prod
ucts-crops and animal products-the
separate total values are more definite
w understood. The total value of crops
declined from $15,423,000000 in 1919
to $4,000, 100000 in 1920, and to ST.,
OPS, 100000 in 1921. The decline of the
total value of animal products on the
farm was from $S,36l 900 in 1919
to $7,354000,000 in 1920, and to SIS
339O00.O00 in 1921. Values of some OF
the crops of 1919 are taken from the
census.
In a yearly record Of the value of
crops and OF animal products crops
have not been as high as 70 per cent
of the aggregate of the two groups
nor as low as 90 per cent for any year
from 1897 to 1919. But in 1920 crop
prices fell first, and to 1921 more Sc
verely than the prices of animal prod
ucts, as group, so that while in 1919
the crop value was 648 per cent OF
the aggregate of the two groups, 1t
fell to 5o.7 per cent in 1920 and to
SOL per cent in 1921.
Some Comparisons.
The aggregate of the total gross
values OF crops and animal products
reported by the census for the census
production year 1909 was S8,558, 000,-
900. If this is regarded as 100 the ag--
gregate gross value increased to isl
in 1918, the year before the world war
began. and remained at nearly the
same place in 1914. There was jump
to 1855 in 1915, to 1866 in 1916 and
to 225.9 in 1917, in the spring OF which
wear the United States entered the
war. In 1918 the index rose to Z6Z.I
and the rise continued to 277.9 in 1919,
the year after the armistice. lr 1920
crop prices began to tumble down and
the index dropped to 100, and it con-
tinued to fall in 1921 to l44.5.
The fall in the aggregate value OF
farm products from the apex in 1917
is more readily measured if the value
for that year is regarded 100. Then,
1920 becomes ga and 1921 becomes
S. or hardly more than one-half OF
the aggregate value for 1919.
-Four crops of 1921 together had a
value greater than one-haif OF the to-
tai value of all crops for that year.
Corn was valued at .Sl,3O5 ,oO0,Ooo' or
f85 per cent of the total; hay and
forage $1,l65,OOO,OOO, or 100 per cent;
cotton lint and seed $755,000,000, or
lO7 per cent; wheat $737,o0OOOO, or
los per cent; and the four crops So
900 100000, or sos per cent.