The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-31
AGRICULTURAL.
Farm Prospects.

1t is evident that the farmers of the
middle and western States are prosper
ing as they have not for years. 1t
looked three years ago as though this
part of the country and the west espe-
cially was going to ruin 80 far as the
farmers were concerned, but the last
two years have wrought great change
at which all rejoice. The Ne,o Eng
land Homestead not long ago printed
estimates which are likely to be very
near the truth which place the present
and prospective condition of the farm
ers of those sections in a very good
light. According to the Homestead the
value to farmers of the last two wheat
crops 1876 and '97 is SCI millions of dol
lars. The value of the previous two
crops was 400 millions of dollars. The
gain to farmers on 1857 wheat over
1916 crop is 401 millions of dollars.
Average value of wheat crops of '93-4-5
was 22l millions of dollars. Value of
wheat exported in twelve months pre-
vious to July, '9S, was 213 millions of
dollars. Then comparing the farmers
increased values from 1897 produce
over that of 1895 the estimate is: On
staple crops 300 millions of dollars. On
other produce 200 millions of dollars.
On live stock 300 millions of dollars.
Actual gain in value to farmers 500
millions of dollars. How much Of this
vast sum has gone into the pockets Of
the farmers it is of course impossible to
tell, but the same paper gives some
figures which throw light on this part
of the matter The amount of farm
mortgages paid eff during these two
years is placed at one hundred millions
of dollarsl Think what vast amount
of burdens lifted from the farmers
shoulders But this is not all. The
increased value of farm lands lie esti-
mated at one hundred millions so that
the total gain to agriculture in little
more than two gears is set at the almost
increditable sum of one billion dollarsl
A good deal of this must certainly have
gone into the farmers pockets. In
veriication of this the Homestead states
that Business with farmers is every
where good, extraordinarily 80 at the
west. 1.-THE fall boom in the agricul-
tural trade has already begun. Inter
est rates are down, money easy, col.
lections good, and the present is full of
promise for large prosperity to all in.
dustries." One of the strangest things
in the situation is the fact that the wal
has not hindered the volume of exports
and another wonder is that in spite OF
all hindrances and the large amounts
owed by this country to foreign coun'
tries, yet in 1918 the balance of trade
in favor of this country is 936 millions
of dollars and the gold net imports tC
date 153 millions. The question may
well be asked whether the United
States has not become a credition ma
ton, whether foreigners do not owe this
country more than this country owes
foreigners. Everything seems to indi
cate that agricultural and commercial
prosperity are assured to large part o.
this country. The least promising
branch of agriculture it must be &C
knowledged is dairying. Butter keep
along i'll the old ruts, going clear dowI
in the summer as usual and coming VI
in the fall and winter. But sheep ar
coming up. In two years they hav'
gone from an estimated or real value o
So up to 1926. Horses are coming W
out of the slough of depressed value
into which they had sunk, and the pros
perity of all kinds of live stock seem
well assured. An immense crop O.
forage is ready or nearly so, and it is t,
be hoped that with the increased knowl
edge gained by farmers during tn
past, stock may be more proftably win
tered than ever before.