The National Geographic Magazine 



world since Columbus discovered America. 

 This year's product is over six times the 

 amount of the capital stock of all na- 

 tional banks; it lacks but three-fourths 

 of a billion dollars of the value of the 

 manufactures of 1900, less the cost of 

 materials used ; it is three times the 

 gross earnings from the operations of the 

 railways and four times the value of all 

 minerals produced in this country. 



The year 1904 keeps well up to the 

 average of exports of farm products dur- 

 ing the five years 1899-1903, amounting 

 to over 859 millions, while the average 

 for the five years was nearly 865 mill- 

 ions. During the last 15 years the bal- 

 ance of trade in favor of this country, 

 all articles considered, exceeded 4,384 

 million dollars, but taking farm pro- 

 ducts alone, these showed a balance in 

 our favor of more than 5,300 millions. 



The increase i?i farm capital the Secre- 

 tary estimates conservatively at 2,000 mill- 

 ion dollars within four years — this with- 

 out recognizing the marked increase in 

 the value of land during the past two 

 years. The most startling figures shown 

 as illustrating the farmers' prosperity 

 are those presented by deposits in banks 

 in typical agricultural states. The Sec- 

 retary selects for this illustration Iowa, 

 Kansas, and Mississippi. Taking all 

 kinds of banks, national, state, private, 

 and savings, the deposits increased from 

 June 30, 1896, to October 31, 1904, in 

 Iowa, 164 percent, in Kansas 219 per 

 cent, and in Mississippi 301 per cent — in 

 the United States 91 per cent. A simi- 

 lar favorable comparison may be made 

 as to the number of depositors. 



GENERAL, PROSPERITY OF THE 

 FARMER 



The diffusion of well-being among 

 farmers throughout all parts of the coun- 

 try is one of the most conspicuous feat- 

 ures of the recent agricultural develop- 

 ment. This attracted attention a year 

 ago and is now even more noticeable. 

 The great South is more especially en- 

 joying this growth of well-being, owing 



to the enhanced value of the cotton crop 

 in addition to the general progress in 

 agriculture. The Eastern farmer, who 

 was long on the verge of bankruptcy in 

 competition with the virgin soil and 

 rapid expansion of the northern half of 

 the Mississippi River Valley, has sur- 

 vived that competition and now enjoys 

 more normal conditions, owing to the 

 creation and maintenance of many large 

 near-by markets by many varied indus- 

 tries. The Pacific coast has long been 

 prosperous, with its world-famous spe- 

 cialties ; the mountain states are glad 

 with the fruits and promises of irriga- 

 tion ; in the older prairie states the 

 farmer has seen his land go from $1.25 

 an acre, or from a homestead gift, to 

 $100 and $150, and the " Great Amer- 

 ican Desert," as it was called when it 

 was nothing but a buffalo range, is now 

 peopled by a progressive race of farmers, 

 whose banks are filled to overflowing 

 with the proceeds of their products. 



EDUCATIONAL WORK 



The elements of agricultural science 

 are gradually finding their place in the 

 primary and secondary schools through 

 the instruction of teachers. 



We buy over $200,000,000 worth of 

 products from tropical countries that 

 cannot be grown in continental United 

 States. Through scientists sent from 

 the United States to the several island 

 groups the department is instructing 

 the people of our island possessions to 

 grow these things, such as coffee, rub- 

 ber, fibers, drug plants, nuts, fruits, 

 spices, and the like. 



Our farmers buy $100,000,000 worth 

 of machinery every year. A better 

 knowledge of its use and care is neces- 

 sary. Several agricultural colleges are 

 taking up this inquiry and giving in- 

 struction in regard to machinery and 

 farm buildings. 



WEATHER BUREAU FORECASTS 



The regular forecasts of the Weather 

 Bureau for 36 and 48 hours in advance 



