Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1910-02-03

"A H. /
early days of September
was harvest in full swing (
Those were fortunate who
were able to take advan |
tage of the brief glimpses OF sunshine
and dry weather to house their crops. |
IL is characteristic of the very dry
season that the stalks have less
strength than usual. and are, there
fore easily beaten down by the wind
and rain, with little power of recov-
cry left them. SO long did they lie.
in fact, that in many cases the weeds
grew up through the corn and pro
duced a matted tangle which no
mechanical reaper could deal with.
In consequence, therefore. the coun-
try was secured for harvesters, casual
laborers, men, village women, and
even children were hastily engaged
so that 1t has been common to see
bands of shearers at work exactly as
they might have been seen 60 years
ago. Many were hoping that Septem-
ber would bring some settled wealth
er. and occasionally it has appeared
to predominate, but the hope proved
illusory. Clouds quickly drifted across
the sky and torrents of rain fell upon
the kindly fruits of the earth"
Harvest therefore, proved tedious,
difficult and costly business, and, un-
tunate, the financial outlook is dark
ened at the same time. Before the
ri
better than we had reason to expect.
as the wet had produced an enormous
growth of straw If by any chance
there had come a good period OF sun
shine 1t is possible that the ears
would have filled WE'LL but from the
reports of those who have threshed
a portion of their in-gathering it
seems to be practically certain that
the harvest will be light in grain.
With the proof of this comes the in
telligence of a serious drop in prices.
OF course something of the kind had
been expected and was discounted be-
forehand. During the late spring and
early summer, when exceptionally
high prices prevailed for wheat, the
English farmer was only a looker-on
at the game, and to some extent per-
haps a sufferer, Yet the situation is
not without its consoling features.
The price is still good for September,
and shows what to the grower must
be a gratifying increase of price real.
| ized since last year. The movement
| that began with the century is, there
fore, being carried steadily on. 1t is
described in the agricultural statistics
for 1908. Since the beginning of the
century the price of wheat has shown
a distinct tendency to higher level
| than that which characterized the
closing years of the last century.
Farmers will be we'll advised not to
| send their wheat to market at pres
ent, as prices are almost invariably
at their lowest in September and
there is every reason for thinking
that they will increase considerably
The long -talked-of effect which the
extended use of motor cars is pro
ducing has now become perfectly
visible. In the volume of statistics
for 1908 there is new table which
sheds an interesting light upon this
side OF the problem. This is a lis
of the contract prices of hay anC
straw at Colney Hatch and Hanwel
asylums in the years from 1898 L
1908: 1898 and 1894 were times o
great scarcity, and accordingly we
find extraordinarily high prices rul
ing. But in 1895 prices were resum
ing their normal. Last year and tn,
year before we find that prices ha,
fallen very considerably. 1t is tn
same with straw. In a year like tn
present, when straw is extremel
abundant, this becomes very seriou
consideration, and there would seen
to be no getting out of the fact tina
in future years the value of fodde
will continue to diminish. One see
the law working obviously enough 4
practice, especially in the neighbol
hood of London. There used to b
men who made their livelihood b
purchasing hay and other foodstuff
for the purpose of converting theI
into fodder for the bus and tramwa
horses OF London. To large eyteI
these latter have ceased to exist, an
their place has been taken by motors
which consume no corn, and thus ten
to the impoverishment OF the farme
Another complaint frequently mad
about the motor is that 1t is causin
a serious diminution in the supply {
manure that used to be obtaine
from towns. Railway companies ca
ried on the whole at very reasonabl
rates manure from stables and street