The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-30
$6, 100, 100000 Is Total Value
of Crops During Year
of 1913, According
to Estimates
LOWER LIVING COST
NOT TO NECESSARILY
FOLLOW, SAYS REPORT
Ten Billion Dollars in Products and
Five Billion Dollars of Cash In
come Tell Story of Bumper
Farming Year of 1913

Washington, December 2D.-Tcn hill
Hon dollars worth of products, Ave
billion dollars worth of cash Income
bumper year In spite of droughts and
other setbncks--is the 1913 record IF
| 6,0OO, 900 American farms.
The United States most successful year
of husbandry produced $6.1OOOOO.ooO worth
of crops, of which $2,s96,OOo were repre-
sented by cereals alone, and 50, $4,000
worth of animals sold and slaughtered.
and animal products. The value of the
1913 crops is twice that of 1899. more than
a,ooO,OOooOo over 1909. and substantially
greater than 1912
OF all the crops, it is estimated that 50
per cent will remain on farms and that 20
per cent of the animal production also
Will remain. ON that basis the cash in
come is estimated at S5.Si7 100000
Despite record year of crop value
although the record of production has
fallen-and the fact that the number OF
farms have Increased II per cent. in 1891,
until there are now estimated to be $780,
of agriculture. In a discussion of the sub
Jeet made public today does not take the
view that a lower cost of living will re-
suit
However desirable increased produce
tion on farms may appear to be from the
| consumers standpoint, it does not follow
that such increased production would ce-
suit in any increase in the cash income
per farm or per capita of farm population,
or that prices paid by consumers would
be any lower" says the report.
Retail Prices Raised -
HAD the total production in 1918
equalled or exceeded the 1912 production,
It seems probable that the cash incore
per farm would not have been greater aud
might have been less than in 1912; but 1t
is extremely doubtful whether the cost to
the consumer would have been less, be-
cause retail prices are raised promptly on
a prospect Of underproductiun, but are
SLOW to decline If there is overproduction.
The long line of distributors and mid
die men between the farmer and the con-
sumer are in II position TO take advan-
tage of the market. and to a certain ex-
tent control the market.
THE high prices paid by consumers.
ranging from to nearly 800 per cent in
some cases more than the farmer re-
ceives indicate that there is plenty Of
room for lowering the cost of farm prod
ucts to consumers and at the same time
largely increasing the cash income per
iarm without increasing farm production
This condition undoubtedly is a mar
ketng problem which will have TO be
solved by better organization of farmers
and improved methods of marketing.
Corn valued at 1862, 10000 comprised
2S per cent of the value of all crops, al
though the volume was un6er the record
Other principal crops with values. are
given I'm the order i'm which they como.
Cotton, s79S, ,000,00; hay. $4,000, GOO: wheat
the largest crop ever raised In this coun-
try, s6l00O0,000: oats. $40 100000. potatoes.
s22s.00O,O 600; tobacco, $l22 100000: barley $685.
000000; sweet potatoes sI3, goo 900; sugar
beets, S34,0OO000: Louisiana cane sugar.
$26000,000; rye. s26,0O0000: rice, $50 OC9,-
coo: faXseed, $2100OOOo; hops. sl5,000000;
buckwheat, $10,0OO,100.
Records Broken
an quantities of estimated production
the record has been broken by wheat, rye.
rice, sugar heets beet sugar and the
| total of beet and cane sugar. OF the re-
naming crops oats barley, cotton aud
! hops have been exceeded twice In produce
/ ton.
'"rhe value of the crops of 1913 is high.
A new high record in estimated value is
made by the total Of all cereals. and sep-
!
(COnffuued On Pnpe Nluel