The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-12-28
The Deficient Crops.

IN the United States, who num-
Der about three-fourths Of the
whole, that the army of produc.
ers and consumers Of food on the
farm gained this year in value
$50, 1000, 900 IN the advance IN
price OF eleven important agrl-
cultural products, including cot
ton, over last year, because the
advance IN price has made up for
the decrease in yield In all these
products, except cotton. The
only conspicuous exception is IN
hay, where a two-thirds crop
has not advanced the price suffi.
clently to make up for the def.
cheney IN amount. The other
crops are some of them more and
some OF them less IN value than
last year, but corn, which is the
great central food crop of the
country, being the basis which
settles the value of meat, brings
the farmer $3.50, 600, 900 more
than last year, when the crop
was about II per cent, or 354,
100000 bushels larger.
AS seven-eighths Of the corn
is consumed by the farmer on
the farm and never leaves it, be.
ing fed to the stock, this increase
worked out by the Agricultural
Department, Is largely mythical,
except as the farmer gains 1t, by
the increased value of meats and
other farm produce which he
sells from his dairy.
The increased price of these
articles during the coming year
some Of them have not advanced |
and others like pork and lard are
lower than they we're a year ago
is paid by the consumer off
the farm. The higher price
which adds to the farmers yield
he pays IN an increased cost Of
food. This see saw, IN which the
farmer loses in very full years
because prices drop to a level
which leaves little profit and in
which the consumer loses IN
scant years because the price
rises, will continue until the
present acreage, through I'M
proved agriculture, produces
more through the farmers labor
han 1t does to day. {
The farmer who lives in the
AIN belt of the country ought,
IS compared with the farmer
Who lives in the dry belt of the '
countrywide arid and dry regions
% be at a great advantage. Yet .
II the total value of farm lands IN '
he United States, $40, 900 1000, 900, !,
'1o, 1000, 900, 900 or one half is the :
alue OF lands west of the one v
Iundredth meridian, IN regions I
considered deficient IN their ram Il
all, either irrigation or dry farm. y
ng, or the careful selection Of j
rops successful on a light ram =
all. u
These lands with little rain are
Il farmed on the intensive plan. =
hey therefore, successfully en- !
Or into competition with the =,
lnds 10 the rain belt, or the re. =.
ION which has rain from the At. ~
Intlc to a point beyond the Miss. - :
'slppi River, running out about .,
} the one hundreth meridian,
here cultivation Is not intensive, d"
a every other field of produc- o.
on and manufacture, during the =.
st forty years, there has been a ". "
reat increase IN the output per
ian. In farming the acre yield =.
! corn, Of wheat and Of the other W "
Irm products remains just what y, :,
was two score years ago, in
oite OF all the discoveries that
ave taken place in the interval o. o.
Until this ceases to be true and =.
le yield Of cereals and other =
rm products is doubled, as 1t :,
,uld be by improved methods of - -
,riculture, benefiting both the - -,
.rmer and the producer, food '"
ill remain dearer than 1t should ~
, and the farmer find his profits w.
nall. Philadelphia Press.
9 shall soon break the ties that -,