The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-22
WALTER II. TAYLC
Value OF truck produced near Norfolk,
year 1928:
What a Farmer Says.

Extract from a letter Of prominent
agriculturist TO Colonel W. II. Taylor:
/ cannot speak for all the farmers OF
the State. but more particularly for those
around Norfolk. / am just lately IN re-
ceipt of a letter from a Kansas cor
respondent. who assures me that ms
nresent crop Of wheat, very poor one III
WELD and also poor In quality VIII DIlus
him less than 50 cents per bushel IN
giving his reasons for this low price, ne
,afers 10 the rates Of freight TO the
seo-board markets, the Supply and de-
nand." and the selhshuess of the eleVa-
for men and the bears I'm the wheat ring
or pit referring TO these matters very
inteiugently, indeed, but fails TO bring IN
any charges against the policy or any
political party whatever.
He laws the blame to the "manipula-
lions Of the wheat ring" the hlsh
freight rate" and the Supply and de-
mand." all Of which causes are quite out
of the jurisdiction Of parties.
As long as the Western wheat or any
other Of her products, is low in price,
the same products in Virginia, VIII also
be correspondingly low.
Since the trucking season OF 1898 opened
| the truckers Of Underwater Virginia close
around Norfolk have sent North ana
| west fully S5OOO.0O0 worth Of fruits ana
vegetables. The supply" was good ana
| the demand" was also good.
When the supply and demand are
| both in favor Of the producer, and not
COO many men between him and the con-
| sumner. and the freight rates" are low
/ as they are here, the farmer is prosperous
| hundred OF instances might be given
where our farmers and truckers nave re-
| ceiyed splendid returns for their crops
| while all have done remarkably, In fact
/ unusually well, there are always Ie"
who succeed better than the rest.
! one gentleman we have in mind VINO
! from 15i barrels Of seed potatoes planted
! ON ~ acres Of land. marketed 1926 barrels,
/ at an average price well up 10 50 per
! barrel. GAYS his gross sales run something
| over S20OOO-and his neighbors say that
his met profits" were fully $4,000.
| The gross sales" Of another trucker
| for his berry crop was more than w.
| 600 and the met profit" Of another on
! berries was $500. As FAR as we can learn,
our farmers and truckers have had
very favorable season indeed.
There is not the least doubt but that
the money received from agricultural
products grown close around Norfolk
saved the city from feeling the effects or
the panic" Of 1898.
our corn farmers are also I'm good
spirits one Of cur Norfolk County farm
ers has a prospective crop of 10000 bushels;
another a crop OF 5000 bushels; and sun
another. who is now taking in the
Worlds Fair" expects TO have 690D
bushels of shelled corn for HIS crop OF 1873.
II the disgruntled farmers OF the inte-
rior are going to vote against the pres
ent administration on account OF poor
prices received for farm products, then
on that basis the Democratic party should
make a clean sweep here.
1t is not Greed" nor sect nor party
that dictates the price the farmer shall
receive for his produce. The price is
determined by supply and demand,
freight rates 10 consuming celters,
and the number and character OF the
'manipulators" operating between the
producer and the consumer.
i regret that l haven't more details at
hand: but you know that details In a cam
! paign are dry and uninteresting any way