The Washington herald., 1913-12-30
1918 OFF YEAR
ON u. S. FARMS
Production Falls Below that
Of 1912, Agricultural De-
partment Report Shows.
VALUE Is $9,75O,OO0, 900
Work of Farmer Does Not Greatly
Affect High Cost Of Living,
Official States.

The Secretary of Agriculture has just
made public information as to the crop
outlook and farm production which IN
dicates some interesting results. The
estimates of production and the prices
are based on reports from five independ-
ent sources of information: 5000 town
shin correspondents for the Agricultural
Department: 2,Soo county correspond
ents; forty-five statistical agents; nine
teen special field agents, and nearly H.
600 aides, reporting in one capacity or
another.
''The estimated total production and
value OF farm crops and livestock of the
United States Is so large that IL al
lowed to stand without explanation 1t Is
apt to be misleading" says the report
In round numbers il Is estimated that
the total farm value of all crops for
1913 is s6, 100 0O0. 900. The total value on
the farm Of animals sold and slaughtered
and of animal products is $3.50, 0O,OOo,
making an estimated total OF the gross
value of all farm products for the year
1913 amount to $S,7500o 900"
The remarkable statement is made by
the Department Of Agriculture, based on
past experiences and estimating demand
as well as supply. that of this great crop
more than half. or 80 per cent, will never
be sold, but will remain on the farm.
lnlS OOeS not lnCluuc Iie llNtsAONh pIO-
duction. of which the department esti-
mates that so per cent will be marketed.
The department experts estimate that
approximately s5,s47. 100000 worth of both
crop and animal products will be mar
keted for cash.
Farms Income 5000.
The statistics show that there was an
increase of IL per cent in the total num-
ha- IN this
percentage OF increase the total number
of farms at present, according to the Ag-
ricultural Department estimate, Is $780,
600, and based on the estimated returns
in crop and animal products for 1913.
the average cash income for farms will
be nearly $500
This does not represent a net income,
for out of this amount the farmer must
pay all expenses for maintenance and
taxes.
The figures show that the average
farm in the United States is 13S acres.
of which seventy-five acres are i'm
proved; that the amount invested in
farms and improvements is nearly $780,
600, 00O, 900. making an average for each
farm of about $500.
The report shows that the smallest
average cash income from the farm
per capita is returned in the States of
Kentucky. Tennessee, Alabama, Missts-
sippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and
Arkansas, where the labor of a rela-
lively large number of adults and chill
dren is required TO produce the crops,
while the largest income per capita Is
returned in the States of Minnesota,
Iowa, Missouri. North and South Da-
kota, Kansas. and Nebraska.
Farmers Pay small.
"If cash income per farm and per
capita alone is considered. 1t would ap-
pear that in many sections farmers
and their families do not make wages
comparable with wages received in
other occupations requiring an equal
degree of experience, Intelligence, and
skill" comments the bulletin. The
uncertainty of the farmers cash in
come, however. is more than Offset by
the sense of permanent security af
forded by ownership for a long-term
lease of the farm and equipment
Commenting on the relation of agri-
cultural production to prices, Leon NJ.
Estabrook. chief of the Bureau Of Sta
tistics has the following to say as to
the effect on the high cost of living:
However desirable increased production
On farms may appear to be from the con-
sumers standpoint. 1t does not follow
that such production would result 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 The estimated total farm pro-
duction in 1913 is less than in 1872, yet the
estimated gross and net cash returns to
farmers are greater than in 1912. Had
the total production in 1913 equaled or ex-
ceeded the 1872 product ton II seems prob
able that the cash income per farm
would not have been greater and might
have been less than in 1912: but it is ex-
tremely doubtful whether the cost to the
consumer would have been any less. be-
cause retail prices are promptly raised
on a prospect of underproduction, but are
very slow to decline If there is overpro-
ducticn.
Middlemaa to Blame.
THE lcng line of distributors and mid
dlemen between the farmer and the con-
sumner are in a position, to certain eX-
tent, to control the market, in both di-
rections, because they are better organ
lied to keep informed of crcp and market
conditions and to act promptly than
either farmers or consumers who are
not organized and as individuals are
helpless. The high prices paid by con-
sumers ranging from 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 pro-
ducticn. This condition is undoubtedly
a marketing problem, which will have to
be solved by better organization of farm
ers and improved methods of marketing.