The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-10-07
Good Times Ahead

eastern tinanciers this season about
oVerspeculation and money stringency.
1t was rumored early in the summer
that there would be trouble this fall.
A strong effort was made to discour-
age investments. Credits were cur
tailed and interest rates increased,
the effect of which was shown in the
rapid increase in cash in banks both
East and West. Business was travel
ing a too rapid pace early in the sea-
son, so report had it. Farmers were
blamed for buying too many automo-
biles and for investing too heavily in
nd. especially in the cheaper lands
at were not bought for farming
purposes so much as speculation.
Efforts were made by eastern bankers
to make the public believe that the
West would witness u crop failure.
The reason why this failure was TO
come they could not explain, Of course
though some of them evidently
charged the supposed impending
disaster against Halley's comet.
The comet came and went: it is
now we'll along on another 75-year
journey, but it left no crop failure or
other misfortune in it's wake. The
largest crop Of oats in the history of
the United States has been harvested.
The corn crop, based upon the last
government. estimate, points to a har-
vest that may exceed the record
yield Of 1906. Our wheat, though it
may prove to be so million bushels
below last years yield, is far ahead of
the 1909 crop in point Of quality.
Bushel for bushel it will make more
and better bread 1t cost less to har-
vest and threSh our wheat this year
owing to favorable weather conditions
and comparatively small volume Of
straw. The same may be said of the
other small grains. While the hay
crop is below the average in yield,
fall pastures are good except in re-
stricted localities, and much corn
fodder will be saved to make up for
a deficiency in the hay crep. Well
cured straw will help in the same di-
rection.
The East has another guess coming
The West was never stronger tinan-
cially than it is right now. Crop
failures such as have been witnessed
in the past do not come SO easily now
as they once did. The verage Of
farming methods is much improved.
The Importance Of surface cultiva-
tion Of the soil in dry season-of
dry farming, if you please--is better
understood and appreciated than it
was 10 or Is years ago, for which the
agricultural press deserves a large
measure of credit. The hungry East
cannot appreciate a panic when the
West is filled with bulging grainaries.
Farmers Tribune can forsee no panic
in the near future: it can see nothing
but material prosperity ahead for the
farmer. The grain grower will con
tinue to make good profits, but the
live stock farmer will make more dur
ing the next six or eight years. He
will surely have his inning. Hogs
are scarce and before long cattle will
be scarcer still. There will soon be a
big scarcity Of cattle such as this
country has never seen before. Horses
are not plentiful and will continue tc
bring high prices for years to come
Let the breeder Of pure-bred cattle
take hold with renewed vigor, and
get his herd in the best possible pro.
ducing condition. He will soon dis
cover that the demand for his good
stock will outgrow his supply.
This country is facing a great food
shortage for its eyer-increasing popu.
lation. Our good land is practically
all occupied and the present acreage
will not grow. The farmer must pro.
duce more per acre in the future
This he cannot do unless he fertilizes
his land better than he has done in
the past. Stable manure is the best
and most economical fertilizer yet in
vented and to get that he must raise
more live stock. The farmer will be
| forced to raise more per acre because
Of the growing scarcity Of labor, the
higher price he will have to pay fol
| it, and because Of the higher interest
value of his high priced land or
which his crops must be grown. As
the critical point in production and
consumption is approached, aud as
the shortage of range cattle anc
sheep becomes more evident to all
the farmer will not be slow in recog.
nizing the value of barn yard manure
and this one factor alone will do much
toward creating a greater interest ir
the raising of more and better stock
From no point Of view does it seen
possible to figure anything but &
! profitable period ahead for the farmei