528 UNITED STATES: — GEORGIA
to the Council of the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders the State has a defaulted debt estimated at 13,000,000 dollars. The assessed valuation of real and personal property in 1919 amounted to 1,079,236,826 dollars.
Production and Industry.— In 1910 there were 291,027 farms in the State, having an area of 26,953,413 acres, of which 12,298,017 acres were improved land. Total value of all farm property in 1910 was 580,546,381 dollars ; 37 per cent, of the farms are operated by negroes, and 86 per cent. of negro farms are rented. _ The negro fanners raise little but cotton, in the production of which Georgia ranks second among the States, while it is the largest producer of sea-island cotton. For 1920 the cotton yield was 1,400,000 bales as against 1,730,000 bales in 1919, the area under cultivation being 4,958,000 acres and the value of the yield 107,100,000 dollars. In the northern part of the State the cultivation of cereals is of importance, corn being grown on five times the area of other cereals. The yield of corn (maize) in the State in 1920 was 76,500,000 bushels. Oats and wheat are also grown, while rice is an important product of coast counties (29,000 bushels in 1920). The growth of sugar cane is increasing. Forests of pines, &c, cover 42,000 sq. miles. On January 1, 1921, the farm animals were 132,000 horses, 347,000 mules, 470,000 milch cows, 763,000 other cattle, 119,000 sheep, 3,102,000 swine. The wool clip in 1919 yielded 422,000 lbs.
The fisheries of the State are of some importance, especially the oyster and shad fisheries.
The State has considerable mineral resources, gold, silver, coal, iron, and manganese ores, iron pyrites, bauxite, graphite, lime, ochre, infusorial earth, natural cement, talc and soapstone, marble and other quarries, and mineral springs being worked. The marble of Georgia has a high reputation all over the States. The clay-working industries (bricks, tiles, pottery) are also important.
In 1914 Georgia had 4,639 manufacturing establishments with a total capital of 258,325,811 dollars, employing 118,565 persons (salaried and wage- earning), using material costing 160,088,609 dollars, and giving an output worth 346,452,413 dollars.
The chief manufacturing industries are given in The Statesman's Yeak- Book for 1916, p. 511.
In 1914 there were 153 cotton mills, 41,881 looms and 2,092,834 spindles.
The means of transportation by sea and land are ample. The principal port is Savannah, which has 8 miles of river frontage, and which, by harbour improvements, is to be made accessible to vessels of large tonnage. The river is being deepened, and now has a mean low water depth of 26 feet, and a depth of 32 at high tide on the bar. From this port in 1 919-20 the imports amounted to 39,199,507 dollars, and the exports to 311,171,389 dollars, chiefly cotton, cotton seed, and meal and cake of cotton seed, besides turpentine and lumber.
The railways in the State have a length (1918) of 7,555 miles, besides 491 miles (1919) of electric railway.
In 1918, Georgia had 23 savings banks with 48,000 depositors who had to their credit 11,874,016 dollars, being 247 '38 dollars to each depositor.
British Consul at Savannah. — Arthur M. Brookfichi.
There is a British Vice-Consul at Brunswick and Darien.
Books of Reference.
The Reports of the Various Executive Departments. Harris, (Joel Chandler), Georgia. New York, 1896. Jones (Charles C), History of Georgia. J vols. Boston, U8S.
Knight, (Lucian Lamar), Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Legei.ds. 2 vol.-:. Atlanta, 1013.
