The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-02-16
INDEPENDENT FARMERS.
NEW ECONOMIC, ERA is WORK
ING FOR THEIR BENEFIT.

Products to Increase Faster Than
Their Production is Of Profound
Importance to American AgricuI-
turists.
For so many years have farmers
been oppressed with the burden of
overproduction that very few seem
to have perceived present tend
ency as between production and
wants, which is, and must increas-
ingly be, of profound Importance to
farmers. This is the tendency Of the
consumption of some important prod
ucts to increase faster than popula-
ton does, and of wants to increase
faster than production, so that con-
sumrtion is close upon the heels of
prediction.
It may seem a matter of small
consequence to mention poultry and
eggs as an instance, but it should
be remembered that these products
now reach an annual figure Of half
a billion dollars or more, or an
amount nearly equal to the value OF
the wheat crop. The price of eggs
has been high and growing higher
for several years, because consum-
ers have wanted more eggs than have
been produced. The exports are not
worth mentioning Apparently there
is no limit to the consumption of
really fresh eggs at a moderate price.
Fruit is in the same category.
There is not enough fruit of any kind
raised in this country at the present
time which is actually placed upon
the market in the grade of first
quality, or better, that Is produced
in sufficient quantity to meet the
wants of consumers at a moderate
price. The family that has bought
first-grade apples in almost any re-
cent year has paid luxury price.
This is true also of pears, plums.
peaches, and oranges; and it is true
of the small fruits, such as cher
ries and grapes. The assertion may
easily be extended to most, if not
all, of the commercial berries, to
Strawberries, currants, blackberries
and raspberries.
Butter is another product that
tends to underrun consumption. We
have no butter exports from this
country because the price of first
grade butter is often lower in Lon
don than in New York The high
est priced butter in the world in its
home markets, taking first the fancy
grades, and ignoring specialties in
other countries too small for notice.
is found in this country.
The annual products of dairying, OF
fruit and vegetable raising, and OF
poultry keeping aggregated about ST.
000,OO0,000 in farmers hands in 1905,
or nearly one-third of the value of all
farm products, and these particular
products mentioned all belong to the
class of those for which there is
tendency of demand to be greater
than supply. In the case of none OF
these products is there satisfactory
quantity obtainable by consumers at
moderate price. The public is I'M
derfed in these Injuries of the farm
found in the higher grades.
In wheat production also the farm
ers of this country are in position
that is at least moderately strong.
Canada and Argentina may stand In
the way of more advantageous pc-
sition for dozen years or So, but IN
the meantime the increasing demand
of the world for wheat promises to
the wheat grower that he shall not
again suffer from the consequences
of overproduction.
The meat problem is another one
of worldwide concern, and in this the
farmer of the United States plays
the most important part. 1t is an
observation stimulating reflection that
the United States and the meat con-
Stunning nations of Western, Central.
and Northern Europe are, in some re-
spects, drifting toward the Chinese
in the matter of meat consumption.
Cattle, hogs, and, In less degree,
sheep, are the historical meat animals
of these regions, although some Poo
pies, as in the case of the South
ern people of this country, have yet
to be educated to taste for mutton.
AS the demand for meat has tight
ened upon the supply. and as prices
have gone upward. and as national
protective policies have promoted
scarcity, substitutes for the historic
meats have arisen. Although the
flesh of fowl is not called meat" 1t
is considerably taking the place OF
meat, and eggs more especially are
'ioing So Goat meat is eaten In all
he countries referred to. although in
lis country at least 1t needs to be
Id as Canada lamb
Horse meat has become staple
variety of meat supply, and rabbits
are important enough to be men,
toned, particularly in the British
meat supply. Under the meat inspec-
ton laws of Germany the carcasses
of dogs are officially certified as fit
for human food. and considerable
quantities of them are eaten. In a