Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-25


and so trite thata it attracts less at
tention than they probably think 1t
should. I can't seem to recall re-
cent year when the statistical experts
of the Agricultural Department at
Washington didn't report that it
had been record" for farmers in big
crops and high prices.
AS regularly as the middle of " De-
cember comes along, with it appears a
big-headed column in the newspapers,
summarizing the optimistic, not to say
pink tinted figures of the Washington
folks, and telling us farmers how rich
we are.
Yet, somehow, it doesn't come much
easier now than ever before to find the
money for repairing the old barn roof
or building the new silo.
So far as | can see, the chief result
of these regular annual celebrations at
Washington or alleged farm triumphs
elsewhere, is to furnish a text for GER
tain New York city editors to preach
reproach to farmers from. Some OF
these editorial wiseaCreS, who admit
teddy know billiard cue and cock
tail glass when they see them, but
couldn't tell a plOWshare from Gull
tivator-tooth unless both were labeled.
regularly take advantage of the annual
announcement about crops either to
for their failure to appreciate and cell
citrate their own huge acquisitions of
new wealth
Well, Washington touched off its
December f1recrackers, last week and
made, apparently, about the usual
amount of noise and smoke. Perhaps
come Of you have seen the figures
Perhaps some have not. In sumar
izing the experts remark that the
unusual situation of extraordinary
production and high prices was proba-
bly, never before SO pronounced" They
also speak of the price of grain soar
ing as the war progresses" But some
how their own figures don't agree with
their commentary. For instance.
The corn crop of 1915 is now set al
8O54.535,000 bushels, against 2,672,-
100000 last year. And the December
farm price has SCARED from 644
bushel last year to SIS cents, this year.
The total wheat crop of 1915 is put
at 1,011, 5O5,O 900 bushels against $751;
O17,o00 last year And the December
farm price has scared" from 9S,6
cents a bushel, last year. to 80 cents.
this year.
The oats crop of 1915 is put at L.
$40, 100000 bushels this year against
1141,O60, 600 last year And the price
has SCARED" from 43.S cents a bushel
last December to 36.1 cents this.
The total rye crop Of 1915 is put at
100000 bushels against 42,779 900
last year. And the price on the farm
December first, has scared" from S6.5
cents last year to 500 cents this.
The present years crop of barley is
put at 237 .O09, 600 bushels against 1874
49, goo bushels in 1914. And the price
has scared" from 54.3 cents last year
to ST. cents this.
Sweet potatoes yielded 1925, 00C
bushels this year against 56,574,00C
last. And, again, the price scared
from 73 cents last year at the farm
to 62.6 cents this year at the farm.
Seems to me if bipIane was in the
habit of soaring" in this way it would
make a better we'll digger than cloud,
gcrapcr!
Now just consider two or three 9th
err items. Those crops mentioned
above are larger this year than last
And, in every case the December Is
farm price is lower: Per CONTRA
Buckwheat yielded 1879 .OG0 bushels
this year against 1851 900 bushels las
year. An the farm price is quoted
at 1877 cents this year against 76.
last.
Potatoes are credited. with a yield O
359.10 900 bushels this year agains
405 921,0 900 bushels last year. And tn
farm price is quoted at els cents
bushel against 48.9 last year.
Cotton is dIOWeQ TO nave yielded
11.161.GO0 bales OF 500 pounds each thi
year, against 16,136,0OO bales last year
And the price is uoted at 11.2 cent
i pound, against 6.8 cents last yeal
In the first group of crops the yield
we're greater than in 1914, and tn
prices in every case were lower.
In the second group the yields wer
smaller in 1915 than in 1914 and tn
prices in every case were higher.
This is Just about the usual condi
lon of affnirs in regard to what farm
rs have to SELL
II farmer has a complete or par
iai failure with any particular croI
0 that he has little or none to sci
aen the price goes up like sky
oeket on dark night.
II no has a wracking good crop an
IT'S OF it to sell, then the price conse
own like a rocket-stick into III
Wanp, when the head has blown Of
1t.
The truth seems to be that we ha
1mewhat bigger total yields than US
al of corn and wheat and oats an
We and barley. ETC., because we plant
ed somewhat bigger areas than usua
to corn and wheat and oats and ry
and barley, etc. Whereupon, havin
nIanted more land than usual to thes
crops, and having naturally harveste
bigger total yields than usual, we ar
TO be permitted to sell our big crop
at somewhat less per bushel.
Which is also quite natural, 1 sup
pose.
At least, it is quite customary.
IL sounds very nice and the figure
re very mouth filling when he ar
old that we farmers had in chief graf
;rops, this past season. 486,570 squar
niles-not acres mind you, but squar
miles. This, it is explained to us,