Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-27
THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION,

wound he control the lie ratio party !?
THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION,
Crops have now progressed sutfi-
GENTLY to make possible fairly deh-
mite summary of the years results.
Dispatches this week to Dun's ReVleW
from branch offices of r. G. Dun d
Co. are full of encouraging information.
Aside from a small percentage of the
corn yield and considerable cotton,
practically all the agricultural products
have been harvested or are beyond the
reach of injury. AS to the three prln-
cipal crops wheat. corn and cotton, the
wear opened bright with promise.
Acreage had been greatly extended and
normal weather would have produced
record breaking crops in every case
but as the season advanced there was
more or less deterioration, so that the
final result in the wheat states will fall
considerably behind last years, and 1t
will require better than average wealth
er to produce as much cotton as will
be needed after the short crop OF last
wear and the low stocks at all points
when the new season opened. Frost has
already damaged much corn and 1t is
still possible to reduce the yield be-
cause this grain is maturing very slow
ly. After making allowance for the
diminished foreign demand because OF
abnormally high prices, however, 1T
seems almost certain that there Will be
ample qualities of all three leading pro-
ducts to meet home requirements Far
mers are in unusually strong financial
condition turnout the entire country
and would not be forced to hurry their
crops to market if quotations were not
particularly attractive.
Latest dispatches from southern
plantations indicate that labor is scarce
owing to the rapid maturity, of cot
ton, which calls for a larger force OF
pickers than is generally available
very large yield of oats has been Sc
cured and prices are profitable. The
hay crop was also of good size, with
prices about the same as last year
Production of potatoes is up to eX-
pectations, but estimates of the tobac-
co WELD must be reduced. Fruit returns
are most satisfactory, as are the re-
ports relating to beet sugar, but recent
weather conditions have retarded the
harvesting of rice. Texas secured
about double the quantity of garden
truck grown last year, and other sec
lions obtained good results in this re-
spect, particularly on farms adjacent
to the large cities. California exper-
fenced disappointing results as to grain,
and there was a shrinkage in the yield
Of deciduous fruits, but compensation
is found in better prices. Grapes are
abundant on the Pacific coast, where a
larger Weld of wine is expected than
last year.
The result of this and other prosper
Gus crop years that have passed is that
further attention will be given to the
extension of farms, larger areas will
be cultivated, and more money spent on
old fields in the shape of fertilizers I'M
plements, etc. This will add to the
production of grain, meat, etc., which is
a very desirable condition, for require
ments are expanding, both at home and
abroad. The current year has been es-
pecially favorable to the farmers since
prices were high early in the season
before the crops had passed into the
hands of middlemen, elevators or spec
ulators. Usually the producer receives
only moderate returns and the Dig
profits are made by subsequent hand
lers of the crops, but this year the sit
uation is calculated to greatly enrich
the farmers, and this will encourage
extension Of agriculture turnout the