The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-20
FARM NOTES.
Edited by John C. Edgar, Duval, to whom all
communications for this column should be ad
dressedl

The dry spell seems to have devel-
oped into well marked case Of
drouth. The last eight days were the
hottest, for the same term, in the past
III years. The extreme of heat and ab
sence of rain is general over the state
and may be considered to finally settle
the question of corn crop. Rain. would
now be of no benefit to the crop, be-
You'd checking shrinking of the grain,
and only useful for that purpose for a
very short time, as the grain is fast
hardening. Those who know the value
OF corn fodder have had a busy time
during the past week topping, bind
ing and shocking, and like prudent
farmers, are doing their best to save
one of the most profitable crops on the
farm-profitable because of its feeding
value and its small cost, being, so to
speak, by product, and made with
out labor or expense beyond that in
volved in harvesting it. a great
Ike made by many who try to
save fodder, is permitting it to becom e
too dry before topping and allowing
1t to stand too long in the shock be
fore stacking or hauling to the barn.
1t is quite common thing to see
fodder standing in the fields at Christ.
mas where exposure to weather has
rendered it perfectly worthless for
anything save manure. One week of
dry weather after topping is quite
long enough to make fodder fiji for
stacking, and the sooner that opera
ton Is performed, after danger of
moulding has passed, the better will
be the feed. Some stack with the
butts out, because they think the tas-
sci more valuable than the butt. This
may be correct but it is difficult to
build rain proof stack in that way,
whereas when the tassels are kept out
they form roof that carries rain off
like shingles. 1t will pay to save every
particle of fe for use next winter as
the present outlook is for cattle need
ing it badly owing to scarcity of sum
mer and fall grass.
What could not be managed by a
decreased acreage, seems in a fair way
of accomplishment by the course of
natural laws. Farmers are told by
some of their teachers that the de
pressed price of cotton is owing to
financial causes only, and mainly to
the scarcity of silver coins in circula
ton; but those best informed believe
that the chief cause of the trouble is
an excess of supply over demand.
Another crop no larger than that of
last year would demonstrate this pro
position, as it would not quite equal
the worlds requirements. Present
prospects point to this being realized
Up to this time early planted cotton
has grown well and with timely rains
henceforth would make an immense
crop in this section; but the odds are
altogether against rain coming in time
or in quantity to be of any service,
and the prospect is for very short
crop. Cotton is fast shedding its
forms and bolls, except on extremely
moist, we'll cultivated land.
But the cotton grower has no reason
to be alarmed. With half crop
this year we may reasonably look for
double the price that would be paid
for full one. AS with corn, so with
cotton. When an excessively large
crop is made beyond public r, quire-
ments the price drops just as long as
buyers care to be bears and when
much short Of the worlds demand
prices rise as long as the bulls" can
force them up. Speculation is big
factor in the case, but it is based on
supply and demand The demoralized
condition of the money market, said
to be due mainly to the silver qlles
tion," will no doubt tell against very
rapid and extensive advance in the
price of cotton, be the next crop ever
so small; but rise it certainly will if the
supply is less than the consumers re-
quirements.
Nv
If there was one agricultural indus
try more than another that was looked
upon as a sure foundation on which to
build future, it was wool growing
Like every other enterprise it was
known to be subject to fluctuations,
but they were generally from good to
better, and it was generally under
stood and admitted that under the
most unfavorable conditions there was
large margin of profit in sheep rails
ing. That faith is being shaken at
present and some old time flockmas-
tiers begin to anticipate financial ruin.
There is ground for disappointment,
but none for alarm. Wool that found
ready buyer year ago at Is cents
now goes a-begging at 70 cents, and
the market seems to have entered a
stage of confirmed decline.
This is not caused by oversupply,
but is due to the needs of the flock
masters, and the natural desire OF
spectators to buy wool as cheaply
as possible. The market opened a
mere trifie under that of last year
but buyers-aiways primed with an
excuse for cutting down prices-ad-
vanced the argument that as the next
congress will take the tariff off wool
the foreign article will come into com-
petition with the home grown and
prices cone down. This is doubtless
true. The party in power is pied Ied
to tariff reform, and there is no good
reason why wool should have any eX-
ceptional favors shown it. If MAUI
facturers are to have no protection for
their wares they should have the privil-
eye of buying the raw material in the
cheapest market, no matter who the