Nebraska ranks among the first states in the Union in the production of grain. In corn she holds third place, and the annual average yield since 1895 has been 205,000,000 bushels. Her relative standing among the corn states for the past eight years has been: 1897, first; 1896, second; 1898, 1900, 1901 and 1903, third; 1899 and 1902, fourth. The increase in the production of corn is shown by the following statistics: 1860, 1,482,000 bushels; 1870, 4,736,710 bushels; 1880, 65,450,135 bushels; 1890, 55,310,000 bushels; 1900, 210,430,000 bushels. A Corn Improvers Association was organized in 1902 and the officers elected were: President, Lee Smith; Vice Presidents, one from each congressional district, 1st, Wm. Ernst; 2d, D. F. Stouffer; 3d, Jos. Hall; 4th, H. J. McLaughlin; 5th, J. S. Cobeldick; 6th, T. W. DeLong; Secretary-Treasurer, T. L. Lyon. The Association is making seed corn growing experiments which shall continue for several years and it has had winter corn shows which have been of great profit to those interested. A fine exhibit was made at the Louisiana Exposition, $900 having been expended in Premiums by the. Board of Agriculture and State Commission. As a wheat producing state Nebraska grades fourth. In 1860 she produced 147,867 bushels; in 1870, 2,125,086 bushels; in 1880, 13,847,007 bushels; in 1890, 15,315,000 bushels, and in 1900, 24,802,000 bushels. The growing of winter wheat has an assured place in the state and it often yields forty bushels per acre. Nebraska has been very successful in the production of oats and the average crop for the last eight years has been 48,201,000 bushels. In this product, the state holds fifth place among the grain states of the union. Other small grains, such as rye, barley, flax and buckwheat are also profitably raised.

     The factories at Grand Island, Norfolk and Leavitt comprise the principal part of the Nebraska beet sugar industry. The three factories combined require 1,275 tons of beets daily in the manufacture of sugar and the average amount of granulated sugar annually made in Nebraska is about 20,000,000 pounds. Nearly eight hundred men are employed in these factories every year and an immense amount of coal and lime stone is consumed. The Grand Island factory began running in the fall of 1890 and was built at an expense of $500,000. Its daily capacity is 90,000 pounds of sugar and in 1902, the output of the working season, beginning with October and ending with the first of February, was 7,000,000

pounds. In 1903, the product of beet fields covering 6,000 acres was used by this factory and during the year thirty-five men are constantly employed, six of which number attend to the growing of the raw product. Henry S. Ferrar is the manager of the Grand Island factory. J. N. Bundick is at the head of the Norfolk factory, which was first opened up in the fall of 1891. From four to five thousand acres of beets are required as a source of supply, and in 1902, the average tonnage per acre was 10.01. The lowest price paid for beets is $4.00 per ton and the factory pays in addition for hauling and shipping. When beets are over fourteen per cent sugar, they bring a correspondingly higher price. The pulp left from the beets is very valuable for feeding stock and this is given free to those who grow beets for the Norfolk factory. All the buildings belonging to the Leavitt factory have concrete foundations and rest upon piling. The factory commenced operation in 1899 and the expense of building was $800,000. Although the buildings were arranged for a daily capacity of one thousand tons, the machinery has only half that capacity, because of the limited supply of beets at the time of construction. In 1902 the expenses were: For beets, $166,962.49; for labor, $49,098.17; and for supplies, $51,209.85.

 

Nebraska Poultry Industry.

     The astonishing growth of the poultry industry in this state is due in large measure to the Armour, Swift and Cudahy packing houses of South Omaha, which occasion such a great demand for poultry and eggs. These three establishments are represented by agencies throughout the state, which pay good prices to local producers. These companies make large shipments of cold storage fowls and large quantities are sent to European markets, especially to Great Britain. In 1880, the poultry of the state numbered 279,262. In 1900, poultry was valued at $3,499,044 while the sale of eggs aggregated $4,068,000. The State Poultry Association was started in 1884 and in 1892 was made a state institution. The annual poultry shows are maintained by a state appropriation of $1,000. Those who served as officers for the year of 1903 were: Judge T. L. Norval, Seward, President; E. B. Day, Fremont, Vice President; Rev. L. P. Ludden, Lincoln, Secretary; I. L. Lyman, Lincoln, Treasurer. Directors--C. M. Lewelling, Brownville; David Larson, Wahoo; E. E. Smith, Lincoln; C. Rockhill, Harvard; W. A. Irvin, Wilber.