The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-12-13
PRODUCE AND PRICES.

condition of the farmers ana Unelr
ability to hold good portion of their
crop for better prices: THE crop
this year was large, never larger, and
had it been marketed even at the pre-
vailing low prices, there would have
been no unusual demand for money.
However, it is the case in this county,
aud in most other localities through
out this state and adjoining states,
that the larger portion of the crop
has not been marketed: the crop is
being held for higher prices, and the
money actually necessary for running
expenses and payment on debts due,
has been borrowed rather than to dis
pose of the years produce at sacrl-
fee. And this is not bad sign
When a community Of producers are
so far advanced in material wealth
that they can afford TO hold the pro-
duce, or large part of the produce,
of an entire year, it certainly indi-
Gates that they are in possession OF
considerable resources, which, unfor-
tundtely, all sections of the country
do not possess.
The large fact is that the great pro-
ducing communities are able to wait
for a rise in values, and moreover,
they are farSighted enough to wait"
This very fairly represents the sit
uation throughout southern Mime
sofa, the greater portion or all OF
Iowa, and many other sections OF the
west, where dairying and diversified
farming has been intelligently en-
tered into. The farmer throughout
these sections is fast becoming Sit
uated so that he can select what he
shall market at any given time In
stead of being compelled to market
whatever he may have whether the
price is favorable or not. The effect
of skill in farming was never more
noticeable than in this era Of low
price, and those farm products which
require the greatest skill, are today
bringing the best returns. But these
products are of course the exception
They do not as yet form but small
part of the whole of the farm products
produced.
AS the Sioux City Journal says, in
commenting upon farm products and
their prices, 'the price of nearly all
the great staple crops, except cotton.
is very low. Most Of them are much
below the average. Wheat.
corn, oats, ETC., are especially de.
pressed. Lower still are garden veg.
etables like potatoes Meats are low
but not proportionately to the grains
which are converted into meats. Corn
when turned into pork at from 1926 tC
$50 cents pound ought to be worth
at minimum % cents bushel and
on the average good deal more than
that figure. Substantially the same
relation holds to good beef. Therefore,
the disposition is universal among
farmers to hold back all the grain pos.
sible from the market and to feed it
to live stock Even where possible
farmers are holding grain, although
they do not intend themselves to feed
it to live stock. 1t would seem that
the minimum of prices in most of the
great farm staples had been reached,
and that some advance, although a
gradual one, might be expected, if no
new and grave crisis in the financial
world should occur"
The yield last season was enormous in
nearly all the crops, although the
corn crop on the average was not SO
large as it was expected it would be-.
But vast portion of it is still held
from the market, and is still in the
hands of the farmers. So far as
grain has been sold, it has been for
the most part to meet pressing neces-
stiles, to pay debts that could not be
postponed and the like. Enough has
been sold to make on appreciable diff
AN1SAIS III OlduO, OuU Ouly LuluuUC
fraction of what would have been
sold in better market. Neverthe-
less, whether at present low prices or
on any adance that may occur, the
farmers of this portion of the north
west have an immense asset in the
unsold part of their crops. If prices
begin to improve, even though the
rise be not large, they will rapidly
realize, and there will be good deal
of selling in any event.. 1t will not be
long until great deal of live stock
will be ready for the market. The
sale of cattle and hogs will bring a
great deal of money into the country,
which, in December, January and
February, will enter the channels of
trade"