1890 as an illustration, this gave a surplus area in wheat of 11,264,478 acres, of 2,648,404 acres in Indian corn, and of 238,162 acres in oats.
| Year. | Acreage. | Average Yield per Acre. |
Production. | Average Farm Price per Bushel, 1st Dec. |
Farm Value, 1st Dec. |
Domestic Exports, including Corn- Meal, Fiscal Years beginning 1st July. |
| Acres. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Cents. | Dollars. | Bushels. | |
| 1890 | 71,970,763 | 20·7 | 1,489,970,000 | 50·6 | 754,433,451 | 32,041,529 |
| 1891 | 76,204,515 | 27·0 | 2,060,154,000 | 40·6 | 836,439,228 | 76,602,285 |
| 1892 | 70,626,658 | 23·1 | 1,628,464,000 | 39·4 | 642,146,630 | 47,121,894 |
| 1893 | 72,036,465 | 22·5 | 1,619,496,131 | 36·5 | 591,625,627 | 66,489,529 |
| 1894 | 62,582,269 | 19·4 | 1,212,770,052 | 45·7 | 554,719,162 | 28,585,405 |
| 1895 | 82,075,830 | 26·2 | 2,151,138,580 | 25·3 | 544,985,534 | 101,100,375 |
| 1896 | 81,027,156 | 28·2 | 2,283,875,165 | 21·5 | 491,006,967 | 178,817,417 |
| 1897 | 80,095,051 | 23·8 | 1,902,967,933 | 26·3 | 501,072,952 | 212,055,543 |
| 1898 | 77,721,781 | 24·8 | 1,924,184,660 | 28·7 | 552,023,428 | 117,255,046 |
| 1899 | 82,108,587 | 25·3 | 2,078,143,933 | 30·3 | 629,210,110 | 213,123,412 |
| 1900 | 83,320,872 | 25·3 | 2,105,102,516 | 35·7 | 751,220,324 | 181,405,473 |
| 1901 | 91,349,928 | 16·7 | 1,522,519,891 | 60·5 | 921,555,768 | 28,028,688 |
| 1902 | 94,043,613 | 26·8 | 2,523,648,312 | 40·3 | 1,017,017,349 | 76,639,261 |
| 1903 | 88,091,993 | 25·5 | 2,244,176,925 | 42·5 | 952,868,801 | 58,222,061 |
| 1904 | 92,231,581 | 26·8 | 2,467,480,934 | 44·1 | 1,087,461,440 | 90,293,483 |
| 1905 | 94,011,369 | 28·8 | 2,707,993,540 | 41·2 | 1,116,696,738 | . . |
Tables XXXVII. and XXXVIII. give the number, total value and average price of farm animals in 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1906.
| Crop. | Annual Average. | 1905. | |||
| 1878–1882. | 1888–1892. | 1894–1896. | 1896–1904. | ||
| Wheat | 27·84 | 17·68 | 15·96 | 29·9 | 7·99 |
| Indian corn | 4·82 | 3·49 | 5·39 | 6·4 | 3·66 |
| Rye | 10·30 | . . | 12·21 | 19·5 | . . |
| Oats | ·37 | ·80 | 2·22 | 3·7 | . . |
| Barley | 1·55 | . . | 12·96 | 12·15 | . . |
| Potatoes | ·37 | . . | ·30 | 0·31 | . . |
| Cotton | 72·80 | 66·79 | 73·60 | 66·3[1] | 61·55 |
| January 1. | Horses. | Mules. | Milch Cows. | |||
| Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. | |
| 1880 | 11,201,800 | $613,296,611 | 1,729,500 | $105,948,319 | 12,027,000 | $279,899,420 |
| 1890 | 14,213,837 | 978,516,562 | 2,331,027 | 182,394,099 | 15,952,883 | 352,152,133 |
| 1900 | 13,537,524 | 603,969,442 | 2,086,027 | 111,717,092 | 16,292,360 | 514,812,106 |
| 1906 | 18,718,578 | 1,510,889,906 | 3,404,061 | 334,680,520 | 19,793,866 | 582,788,592 |
| January 1. | Other Cattle. | Sheep. | Swine. | Total Value of Farm Animals. | |||
| Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. | ||
| 1880 | 21,231,000 | $341,761,154 | 40,765,900 | $90,230,537 | 34,034,100 | $145,781,515 | $1,576,917,556 |
| 1890 | 36,849,024 | 560,625,137 | 44,336,072 | 100,659,761 | 51,602,780 | 243,418,336 | 2,418,766,028 |
| 1900 | 27,610,054 | 689,486,260 | 41,883,065 | 122,665,913 | 37,079,356 | 185,472,321 | 2,228,123,134 |
| 1906 | 47,067,656 | 746,171,709 | 50,631,619 | 179,056,144 | 52,102,847 | 321,802,571 | 3,675,389,442 |
| Year. | Horses. | Mules. | Milch Cows. |
Other Cattle. |
Sheep. | Swine. |
| 1880 | $54·75 | $61·26 | $23·27 | $16·10 | $2·21 | $4·28 |
| 1890 | 68·84 | 78·25 | 22·14 | 15·21 | 2·27 | 4·72 |
| 1900 | 44·61 | 53·56 | 31·60 | 24·97 | 2·93 | 5·00 |
| 1906 | 80·72 | 98·31 | 29·44 | 15·85 | 3·54 | 6·18 |
After the Civil War the number of horses increased and prices gradually declined. In 1893 the number of horses reached 16,206,802 (an increase of over 5,005,002 or 44·6% over the number in 1880), and in 1906, 18,718,578. The average farm price of horses increased from $54·75 in 1880 to $74·64 in 1884, after which there was a decrease to $31·51 in 1896, followed by a rise to $80·72 in 1906. The extension of street-car lines, and the substitution of cable and electric power for that of horses, the use of bicycles and, later, of automobiles, and the improvement of farm-machinery, in which horses are less and less used as power-producers and steam is more common, have been factors in decreasing the demand for these animals. The fluctuation in prices of mules has been parallel to that for horses.
The returns for milch cows show an increase throughout the period 1880–1899 in every year, with the exception of 1895–1899, after which there was a steady rise in numbers. For the first ten years the numbers increased 32·6%, and from 1890 to 1899, ·2%. The total value of milch cows increased each year until 1884, then decreased until 1891, with a gradual increase until the end of the period. The farm price of milch cows rose from $23·27 in 1880 to $31·37 in 1884, then fell to $21·40 in 1892, after which there was a steady increase to $31·60 in 1899, and afterwards a slight fall, $29·44 being the average farm value on the 1st of January 1906.
No marked changes in the numbers of sheep have taken place. During the period 1880–1890 there was an increase in numbers amounting to about 8·8%. After 1893 there was a rather steady decrease, with fluctuations amounting to a marked depression after 1894. This industry is very susceptible to adverse influences, and felt keenly a depression in the price of wool. The increase began again in 1898, and in 1903 the figure of 63,964,876 was reached; in 1906 it was 50,631,619.
The numbers and values of swine constantly fluctuate with the movement and value of the Indian corn crops. The returns for 1890 (51,602,780) showed a numerical increase of 51·6% over those of 1880; then followed a steady decrease in numbers down to 1900 (37,079,356), since which time there has been considerable increase, so that in 1906 there were 52,102,847—the maximum excepting 1901, when there were 56,982,142 swine on farms. The movement in values was similar to that in numbers. From $4·28 in 1880, the average farm price of hogs increased steadily to $6·75 in 1883. The lowest figure, $4·15, was reached in 1891, and after numerous fluctuations it became $4·40 in 1899 and $7·78 in 1903; in 1906 it was $6·18.
The total value of farm animals showed a steady increase from 1880 to 1890, with slight variations in 1885 and 1886. Following 1890 there was a steady decrease with the exception of slight increases in 1892 and 1893. In 1880 the total value of farm animals in the United States was $1,576,917,556. In 1890 it had increased to $2,418,766,028, or 53·4%. In 1896 the value had diminished to $1,727,926,084—a decrease of 28·6% from the 1890 values, and an increase of 9·6% over those of 1880. The value in 1906 showed an increase of 133% over that of 1880.
The exports of live stock and its products have increased enormously in recent years, both in quantity and value. This is especially true of the exportation of beef, cattle and meat products. The exports of cattle increased from 182,750 in 1880 to 331,720 in 1895, or 8112%, and to 567,806 in 1905 or 210% over 1880, and values- ↑ For 1899–1900 to 1904–1905
