The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-29

/ Carolina, 1.53 in Georgia, LII in Ala
bama, LA in Mississippi, lbs in Tonnes
see and 1.46 in Kentucky. In wealthy
states, supporting large dairy and live
stock interests-states whose adaptability
for the production of large crops of hay
goes understandable average is ma
terially lower than the average produe-
ton of these southern states, and very
much lower than such southern states
as present the higher records. For In
stance, this production in Michigan,
famous for its growing dairy and cheese
business. averaged, In 1903, 1877 tons per
acre; Ohio, which offers an example on
a large scale of successful mixed farm
ing. 1.42: Indiana, In which the hay in
terest Is very important, 49, Oklahoma,
whose virgin state and diverse capabili-
ties have been loudly exploited, ia;
Massachusetts, a close farming New Eng
land state, which expends more money for
labor on its farms than any other state
in the New England group, 11S; and New
York, the Empire State, great in all
things Astounding In large consuming
markets local to every district and
county, 1.26 tons per acre. Thus 1t will
readily be seen that, however much these
states may be lacking in the requisite
number of farmers to avail themselves
of the opportunity to engage in hay and
stock raising, there is no question about
their capacity to produce hay more pro-
ILLEGALLY than the best producing regions
of tho United States-the sections which
are furnishing the bulk of the market
supply.
The Vital Consideration.
But when the inquiry is extended to
another vital consideration influencing
the farmer-the price at which the farmer
tage possessed by the southern grower
becomes more decidedly apparent. The
general average price commanded by the
farmers Of this country in dlsposing of
the crop Of 1903 was s90S, as compared
with $l2.79 for the territory comprising
the states Of Virginia, North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Tennessee and Kentucky-a price better
than the average of the country by $37t.
or 30 per cent This was 1919 per ton
more than was received by the Ohio
farmer; 1886 more than was realized by
the Michigan farmer; 1923 more than
was paid the Wisconsin farmer; $6.18
more than was received by the Minneso-
ia farmer, and $S.3l-nearly doubie-more
than was received by the farmer in Me-
braska. Put In another way, the land
devoted to the production Of hay in the
eight states traversed by the Southern
railway system shows a farm value of
product to the acre $591 greater than for
the country at large This difference, In
a great many instances. more than equals
the farmers original investment in the
land on which the highest southern aver
ages are shown, while the northern
meadow lands In the best grass and
hay sections are seldom considered worth
less than 500 per acre. Assuming the cost
of the southern land to be SIS per acre,
and accepting the department of agri-
cultures figures. both on the averages
of the country at large and the COM
bined averages of the several southern
states whose claims are being considered
in this connection, the relative advan-
tage Of the southern grower over the
grower Of the north and west may be
stated with approximate correctness as
follows:
Average saving in agricul-
tural land Investment. 5000 per cent.
Average of increased yield
per acre...... ....... ...... L
Average increased price
commanded 80. -. ...... 900
viii Be Corrected.
OF course when this disparity between
producing capacity and actual produce
ton is corrected, through large increases
in the number of farmers devoted to
grass and stock farming, the advantage
as to prices will perhaps not continue to
be so pronounced. 1t certainly does not
farm prices for lands capable Of produce
ing hay and maintaining live stock In
competition with the best grass and cat
tie sections Of the world will continue
much longer.
In the meantime the farmer who Las