The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1922-04-24
MONSTER SHRINK
IN CROP VALUES
55 PER CENT DECREASE IN TWO
YEARS is SHOWN.

Washington, ID. c., April "a
with only an per cent reduction in
production since 1919, the value of
the farm crops of the United States
for the year 1921 was SIS per cent
below the 1919 valuation.
This news was made public by the
department of agriculture, which es-
timated the gross wealth produced
by farmers in 1921 at $l2,366, ,00O.-
600, about two-tfiirds of the aggre-
gate value of farm products in 1920,
which was $1S,263, 100000 and lit
tie more than one-half the aggre-
gate for 1919, whichs was $2S,7SS.-
900, 600
During this period. 1s19-2l, pro-
duction of 10 crops, representing
about 95 per cent OF the total crop
acreage, fell s per cent. Placing the
average quantity of production OF
these crops for the five years, 1910
IA at 100, crop production in 1919
was 1OS; in 1920 ii was III; and
i'm 1921 it was 100 The quantity of
crop production in 1919 was about
the same as during the preceding
seven years, that in 1920 was the
largest ever recorded, and that in
1921 was the lowest since 1913.
The valuation figures given by
the department are to be regarded
as index numbers of wealth produc-
tion on farms. They do not stand
for cash received. nor for income.
They are subject to fluctuations in
the purchasing price of the dollar.
In the processes of arriving at an ag-
gregate of the value of the gross
wealth produced on farms in crops
and animal products, the depart
ment estimated or adopted estimates
for 81 crops and SO animal products,
altogether 1877 items.
For the two groups of items oil
products--crops and animal prod
ucts-the separate total values are
more definitely understood. The to-
tai value of crops declined from
s15.423,OOO.0 900 in 1919 to $1O,-
9o9 900, ,O00 in 1920, and to ST.
O2S. 900 900 i'm 1921. The decline oil
the total value of animal products
on the farm was from $8,361, 1,000,-
600 in 1919 to s7.354,000,000 In
1920. and to $500, 100000 n
1921. Values of some of the crops
of 1919 are taken from the census.
/ In a yearly record of the value oi
crops and of animal products crops
have not been as high as 70 pei
cent of the aggregate of the two
groups nor as low as so per cent
for any year from 1897 to 1919. Bu'
in 1920, crop prices fell first, and &C
1921 more severely than the prices
of animal products. as group, SC
that while in 1919 the crop value
was 64.S per cent of the aggregat'
of the two groups, it fell to 59.7 PEI
cent in 1920 and to 56.S per cen
i in 1921.
4 The aggregate of the total gros
values of crops and animal product
reported by the census for the cen
sus production year 1909 was ss,
55S.OOO. 900. If this is regarded a
I 100. the aggregate gross value in
creased to 1851 in 1913, the yea
before the world war began, and re
NAMED at nearly the same place i
1914. There was jump to l25.'
in 1915. to 1866 in 1916 and z
225.9 in 1917, in the spring OF whicl
wear the United States entered tn
i war. In 1918, the index rose =
i262.7 and the rise continued U
277.9 in 1919, the year after the an
mistice. In 1920 crop prices begal
to tumble down and the index drop
ped to 100, and 1t continued to fai
in 1921, to 144.5.
The fall in the aggregate value
farm products from the apex In lsl
is more readily measured II the vaiu
for that year is regarded 100. Then
1920 becomes 6S.4 and 1921 becom
les So, or hardly more than one-hal
of the aggregate value for 1919
i Four crops of 1921 together ha
a value greater than one-half OF tn
total value OF all crops for tina
year. Corn was valued at $1,3OS
! OOO.O or 1876 per cent OF the e
> tai; hay aud forage $1,165.000.OOs
. or 1876 per cent; cotton lint and see
z s755, 100000, or 10.7 per cent
4 wheat $737.000.0 or los pt
: cent; and the four crops $3,96O,0O0
4 900, OF 66.3 per cent.