Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-03-08
Cereals VS.. Hay and Forage Crops
in Veruont

Vermont as grain producing state
has been steadily declining for more
than thirty years. The acreage de-
voted to cereals in 1880 was 204, 900 as
against $4,000 in 1910, a decrease of
more than 10000 acres. 1t is claimed by
some that this decrease has been due to
competition with western grain. A
careful study, however, will prove that
this is not true.
Taking corn as the most universal and |
valuable American crop, statistics show
that the average value per acre in
Vermont for the last fifty years has
been $25. 38, while for the whole country
the average value of corr per acre has
been only $1051 for the same period,
(1860-1910). The decade, 1900-1910
shows decrease of 29PC in acreage de-
voted to corn growing in Vermont,
while the average price of corn per
bushel for the same period has been
70.1 cents in Vermont, and so. l for the
whole country. 1t is evident that it
does not, or certainly ought not, to
cost 20 cents per bushel for transporta-
ton and cost of handling by the middle
man.
According to the above figures we
must abandon the competition theory if
we would find why Vermont is steadily
declining as grain producing state.
According to reports for 1910 we find
only one-twelfth of all improved land in
Vermont devoted to cereals, i. e., corn,
oats, barley, buckwheat, rye, etc, and
nearly two thirds, or 1881, 900 acres
devoted to the hay and forage crops.
The total value of the hay and forage
crops last year was six times that of the
cereals. There was, however, seven
and one-half times as much land de-
voted to the hay and forage crops.
A comparison of value per acre shows
that the cereal crops were 1921 per
acre, and the hay and forage crops
were $15.S5 per acre. a difference of
Sc. 10 per acre in favor of the cereals.
In 1910 1900 acres of corn were har-
vested in Vermont with an average
value of 1923. 81 per acre, being exceeded
only in value per acre by six states,
viz, Maine, New Hampshire, Massa-
chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
and Arizona. Vermont having larger
acreage than any of the states named.
In point of average yield per acre
Connecticut stands first, $50 bushels
per acre, Maine and New Hampshire
= 46, Massachusetts ASS, and Vermont
fifth, AZ bushels per acre, and, as will
be noticed, is only outclassed by her
sister states in New England. Thus we
see that the real reason is that toe
much land is devoted to the hay and
forage crops. 1t would be good bust
ness for the Vermont farmers to grow
more corn and save that 20 cente pei
bushel that now goes somewhere and
also to consider that Sc. 10 loss per acre
for every acre not put in corn that is al
all adaptable to corn growing. 1t is
= estimated that one half of the land ir
Vermont now devote to hay and forage
could just as well grow corn. If this is
true it would mean SO, 100000 more ic
the pockets of the farmers than they
get at present.
Some objector will say that it is not
economical to grow corn in Vermont
because of the cost of labor involved ir
producing crop of corn as compared
with crop of hay. Another will say
that Vermont is great dairying state,
and use this as an argument for moi
growing corn. To the first we answer
that so long as there is a home mark Ell
to be supplied with corn at II cents pei
bushel 19l0 figures) it is more econom.
ical than it is for Iowa to raise corn al
46 cents per bushel Q9lO figures).
The dairy man, however, will go or
buying concentrated feeds, bran, clutter
meal, linseed meal, etc., and give large
profits to the middleman when corn il
the form of meal and the ordinary mil
feeds together with the silage would
according to government experts, be {
great deal better for his dairy herd
and would be retained to further enrich
the soil. There may be some difference
in the cost of producing an acre of corr
and an acre of hay or forage crops, bu
= we refuse to believe that it is Sc. 10 pei
: acre. j. S. M.
( Dear Old Billy"
IN Al