Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/573

 FINANCE, DEFENCE — PKODUCTION AND INDUSTRY 45 1

The State contains 59 benevolent institutions (hospitals, homes, schools for the deaf and blind, &c.), of which 10 are public, 34 private, and 15 ecclesiastical. County authorities (ordinaries) have supervision of paupers and may establish poorhouses, <^c., levy a tax to meet their cost, make tlie necessary regulations, and appoint a commissioner of the poor. Persons bringing paupers into the State or from one part of it into another are liable for their support. Any county may give relief to ex-confederate soldiers with- out compelling them to be poorhouse inmates. On January 1, 1905, the alms- houses of the State contained 1,009 pauper inmates (602 white and 407 coloured).

Financej Defence. — The amounts received and disl)ursed in the years 1908 and 1909 are stated as follows :—

190S 1909

Dollars Dollars

Balance, January 1, 1908 and 1909. . 820,740 638,717

Receipts in 1908 and 1909 .... 5,388,273 5,377,016

Total, 1908 and 1909. . . 6,209,013 6,015,733

Disbursements, 1908 and 1909. . . 5,570,295 5,529,576

Balances, January 1, 1908 and 1909. 638,718 486,157

In December, 1909, the bonded debt of the State amounted to 7,034,202 dollars, including an unfunded debt of 90,202 dollars on which interest at seven per cent, per annum was paid to the University trustees. The assessed valuation of real and personal property in 1909 amounted to 725,018,197 dollars.

The State militia, called the Georgia State Troops or the Georgia Volunteers, have their headquarters at Atlanta. They consist of Cavalry, Artillery, and Infantry, with a total strength of 239 officers and 2,794 men in 1909. Georgia has also a Naval militia with 3 officers and 44 enlisted men.

Production and Industry.— Of the total area, about 70 per cent, is in farms, of which 37 per cent, are operated by negroes, and 86 per cent, of negro farms are rented. The negro farmers raise little but cotton, in the production of Avhich Georgia ranks second among the States, while it is the largest producer of sea-island cotton. For 1912 the cotton yield was 1,701,000 bales. 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 1912 was 53,958,000 bushels. Oats and wlieat are also grown, while rice is an important product of coast counties (27,000 bushels in 1912). The growth of sugar cane is increasing. The tobacco crop in 1912 amounted to 1,162,000 pounds. Forests of pine, &c., cover 42,000 sq. miles. In 1910 the farm animals were 141,000 horses, 248,000 mules, 314,000 milk cows, 673,000 other cattle, 245,000 sheep, 1,647,000 SAvine.

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 soapstoue, marble and other quarries, and mineral springs being worked. In 1911, the output of gold (from quartz and placer workings) amounted to 1,548 fine oz. (32,000 dollars), and of silver to

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