Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-10-29
Agricultural.
Low Prices Of Farm ProduCts--.The


Low Prices Of Farm PrOduCts--.The
Cause.
II we compare the present prices Of farm
products with the prices Of the same % or 30
years ago, with few exceptions we find them
lower now than then but the actual differ
ence is much greater than it appears nomi-
naly Though a dollar will now purchase
more of many things which a farmer has TO
buy, the demands upon his purse have large
ly increased. Nearly every kind of business,
unless farming is an exception, demands and
obtains greater profits than formerly. OFF
ca salaries have been raised high. grade
professional service is paid for at extravagant
rates the smart preacher wants the price of
a good farm for a years work saving souls
the physicians charges have been increased
three fold the lawyer is not behind either of
these in keeping up with the times in his de-
mands the high school masters salary has
been trebled, and tuition at the academy is
twice or thrice az much as it was 30 years ago.
As consequence Of more intelligent cul-
ture, the farmers income, in spite of low
prices, may sometimes be increased but the
increase Of income, If any, bears no proper
ton TO the increased demands upon II, nor to
the increase of pay for official and profession
al service, nor to the increase of profits ex-
pected in other kinds of business. To main
tain his former equality in the race, the farm
or should have about two dollars for his prod
ucts where he now gets one. Writers and
public speakers have made great amount of
talk about the decline of agriculture, the ex-
haustion Of the SOIL etc, the "etc.' stand
ing for more nonsense. The fact is, there is
an over. production in agriculture. Rapid as
has been the increase of population, it has
not kept pace with the increase of products
from the farms. We're not this the fact, very
high prices would now be obtained for these
products, and farmers would share more in
the general prosperity of the country. In
1850 the United States raised 500, 900, 600 bush
els Of corn; in 1880, 1,754, 100000. The
crop of 1850 was about 26 bushels to each in-
habitant that of 1880, about 80 bushels to
each inhabitant. In 1850 the production of
wheat in the United States was 100, 900, 600
bushels in 1880 it was ass, 900, OO0-less than
4 bushels in 1850 and more than bushels in
1880 to each inhabitant. In 1850 the sheep
of the United States yielded about p pounds
Of wool to each person the wool product had
increased in 1880 to a little more than three
pounds to each one of 80, 900, 600 inhabitants.
There were raised of Irish potatoes in 1850
&C. 600 600 bushels-less than three bushels to
each person; in 1880 the crop was 1862 600, DOC
bushels-more than 81 bushels to each per.
son. Dairy products have also increased
more than the ratio of increase in population.
The number of pounds of butter made in the
United States, as reported in the census OF
1880, was SOC, 900, 900 pounds census OF
1850 313, 900, 600 pounds-about 134 pounds
for 1850 and 16 pounds for 1880, per capita
There has been an enormous increase of or
chard and garden products, small fruits, poul
try and eggs. The census of 1850 gave the
value of orchard products at little less thar
$4,000, 600 products of market gardens, So,
100000. According to the last census thu
value of orchard products was nearly SOL,
000,0 600, and market garden products S22,
OOO,O 900. Within the past five years, it il
well known, small fruits have been grown il
such quantities as frequently to glut the mar
kets and bring down the price below the cos
of production. Statistics of poultry and egg
we're taken for the first time in the census o
1880. Asurprising number of barnyard fowl
were found-in all, over 100, 600, 600 that ha,
been wintered. 1t is evident that since tn,
last census there has been great increase il
the quantity of poultry kept upon farms
Last winter, through the best of the season
the markets were overstocked with dressed
poultry, and prices were consequently low.
Statistics prove that there is no decline i
agriculture, but rather an over-producto
which makes farming at this time less profts
BILE than it should be to meet increased e1
penses and to correspond with the higher re
Enumeration demanded and obtained in othe
occupations. That it is not for the farmer
interest to encourage others to become farm
ers, as is done by ninety nine out of ever
hundred writer's, is plain inference from tn
facts we have given. A man who seems t
have a rare comprehension of the situation E
the one out of q hundred-Mr. Edmund Hi
sey, says: why should writer's be contiu
ually trying to force every one into the far n
ing business by rose colored statements? W
already have farmers enough to grow all th
grain and other products we need, and gret
surplus besides. The true friend of the farm
or is not so anxious to circulate informatio
that will encourage every one to go into tn
business of farming as he is to better the COZ
dition of those who are already in the bust
ness"