Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-30
BUMPER YEAR.
northumberland Products
From American Farms.
5 Billion Dollars Of Cash Income
Is 1913ReCOrd Of United States
The Value Of 1919 Crops Twice as
Large as those Of 1899.

Washington, Dec. 29.-Ten billion
dollars worth of products. five billion
dollars of cash income-a bumper year
in spite of droughts and other set
backs-is the 1913 record of 5000, 900
American farms.
The most successful year of hus-
bandry in the United States brought
forth $4,000 900 worth of crops, of
which $3.50, 900 were represented
by cereals alone, and s3,650.000 worth
of animals sold and slaughtered, and
animal products. The value of the 1918
crops is twice as great as that of 1899,
and substantially greater than 1912. OF
all the crops, however, it is estimated
that 80 per cent. will remain on farms
where they were produced and that 20
per cent. of the animal production will
remain.
But despite a record year of crop
values although the record of produc
ton has fallen and the fact that the
number Of farms has increased II per
cent. since 1910, until there are now
estimated to be 6,600,000 farms in the
Countrywide department of agricul-
ture, in discussion of the subject
view that lower cost of living will
follow as a consequence, because re-
tail prices are promptly raised on a
prospect of under production, but are
very slow to decline il there is over
production. The report says:
The long line of distributors and
middlemen between the farmer and
the consumer are in a position to take
advantage of the market and are bet
ter organized to keep informed Of con-
ditions and act more promptly than
either farmers or consumers who are
not organized and individuals are
helpless.
THE high prices paid by consumers,
ranging from 5 to nearly 500 per cent.
in some cases more than the farmer
receives, indicate that there is plenty
of room for lowering the cost of farm
products to consumers, and at the
same time largely increasing the cash
income per farm without increasing
farm production.
This condition is undoubtedly a
marketing problem which will have
to be solved by better organization of
farmers and improved methods of
marketing
Corn with value of S1,692, 00o, 900,
comprised % per cent. of the value OF
all crops, although the volume was
under the record. The other principal
crops with values, are given in the
order in which they come: Cotton
s7ss, ooo, 900; hay 797,oOO.ooo; wheat-the
largest crop ever raised in this coun-
try-s61O, o00, 600; oats s44o, 100000; pota-
toes s22s, 0G0, 900; tobacco s122.0o0,00
barley 500. 900; sweet potatoes. s4s.-
000, 900.
Dairy products of 1913 are estimated
at more than $s14,oOo,000. Eggs and
fowls have an estimated value of more
than 7S.000.0 900.
I'm these days of high prices OF
food" the report continues, lit seems
to be overlooked that the farmers OF
this country are producing enormous
surplusses for export to foreign coun-
tries Prices are high in other coun-
tries, as we'll as in this one.
THE census reports indicated that In
1909. the total amount of farm wages
paid to farm laborers was 1851, 61l ,2Sl.
This is almost double the cost in 1893,
which was 1857 ,391 $780,