The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-09-14
MUST PRODUCE CORN CHEAPER

George B. Ellis of Columbia, Mo-,
statistician and recognized authority
on agriculture, has accumulated data
and prepared figures showing what it
costs to produce corn From these
figures, Mr. Ellis says, it is evident
that the price of corn must go up or
way must be found to reduce the
cost of production.
This estimate is based On the as
sumption that the simplest way to ar
rive at the cost of producing an acre
of corn is to reckon the cost Of rental
for the land and seed and all the labor
connected with the growing and har-
vesting the crop, the labor paid for
at the current rate of wages In the
neighborhood.
Here are the figures included in the
cost of growing one acre: For plow-
ing, including other preparations,
s1.52: preparing land after blowing,
SIS cents; for seed, improved quality,
81 cents; for planting, 33 1-S cents;
for cultivating, s2.12; for harvesting,
grain only, 1926; for cash rental,
IS; average cost per acre, s12.26 1-3.
Mr.. Ellis SAYS:
IF the farmers reporting these fig
ures allowed liberal price for hiring
all the work done and for paying for
the use Of machinery this estimate
would then include the whole cost Of
producing an acre of corn, except
that it does not allow anything for
Erestoring the fertility removed by the
crop. The time has come when this
item must be figured, or the man who
grows the crops will find out that
there has been leak in his reserve
fund.
q quote here strong presentation
on this subject from Byron Mcfarland,
a successful practical farmer of Mon
roe county, Missouri: The present
method of calculating the cost Of farm
products includes only two items OF
expense and labor. But
the new prolem and necessity of main.
tanning soil fertility, and our inabili
ty under any known process to do sc
without the purchase of mineral fer
tilizer, compels us at once to change
our method of calculation, and to in
clude also the fertility lost by growing
a crop.
This is, SO far as know. the only
good method IT Is also the method OF
common sense and business necessity
II is method that should meet with
immediate and universal adoption
because IL represents nearer ap
proach to truth than the present
method
4 1t is poor policy for business con
Germ to have to draw upon its capita
stock in order to pay dividends, and
Mr.. Ellis maintains that 1t is equally
poor policy for the farmer to draw UP
on his fertility account in order t.
make himself believe he is prospecting
Yet this is the very thing that has
: been done, and is still being done BY
the average farmer; and just as sure
as no business concern can long con
tinue its existence when it is forced
to draw upon its capital stock in or
der to pay dividends. just so sure ii
the American farmer destined to ulti
mate ruin if he must continue TO draw
upon his soil fertility account in ordel
to show profit.
: According to good authorities, thu
: amount of fertility removed by bush
Y ell of corn would cost at the curren
d market value of nitrogen, phosphorus
r and potassium, 1873 cents If this b,
) added to the above average cost o
/ growing bushel of corn the total ne
/ cost amounts to 47.9 cents. But this
d as figured. does not not allow an,
: profit to the farmer He is entitled
S to profit on his business transaction
s the same as the merchant, the con
i tractor or the manufacturer. Mr.. FL
y lis submits the following suggestion
s. in this connection:
TIT e~y cf-t n r~r-,---1NIe = =