New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-28

OF Waterloo, ana lIlat IS VIZ
tory" II would be an agricultural tragedy if, in
1918, with the greatly increased acreage for
wheat which the farmers have prepared, the
season should be unusually favorable TO wheat,
and the high prices, due to the European war
should continue. 1t would result in so serious
setback to farming throughout this country
that il might take generation in which 10 re-
cover.
Already war prices have demorslized thou
sands of farmers. who in July scarcely dared
to dream that the markets might reach 90
cents bushel, but who in November and De
cember, scorned quotations Of 81 IS to 81 20
bushel and sat firmly on the lids OF their gram
bins, waiting the January price OF ST 50 or
some future speculative rise to S2-with the
faith that should remove mountains!
The Department OF Agriculture reports that
the 1914 wheat production was SeI,oI7,ooo
bushels. as compared with 763,3Soooo last
year. "Hurrahr says the farmer Woe is
me! That is I27,637,ooo more bushels pro-
duced this year than last! AlasV says the
Rgriculturist For there is a difference be-
tween farmer and an agriculturist-the
farmer works, but the agriculturist thinks as
we'll as works
THE MORE MONEY WHEAT MAKES
THE MORE IT LOSES.
That excess of l27,o37 900 bushels of wheat
In 1914 over the crop Of 1913 costs an invisible
but real consumption of soil elements worth,
ut commercial values, no less than S44,9ISI%4'
This fact very few farmers ever reckon. Each
bushel of grain plus 100 pounds OF straw con-
tsins 3S2 cents worth Of soil fertility. The soil
fertility lost in that excess OF wheat alone is
equal TO the market value OF two-hfths OF the
farm land of Minnesota; the fertility lost in the
entire wheat Of the United States in 1914 is
equal TO FIVE times the value OF all the cereal
crops OF Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota and Montana combined.
There is probably no crop that man has ever
sown and harvested which has proved such
snare to his prosperity as wheat.
Wheat is the gold of the farm II is always
standard; 1t always finds cash market; 1t al
ways costs more to produce than 1t brings IN
the world markets. II is the glittering bauble
which hypnotizes the unwsry by its dazzling
ease OF production. All the world is wheat
mad to-day. just as all the world is gold mad
though gold, too, costs more 10 produce than
II is worth.
WHEN WE ANSWER THE CRY OF THE
HoRSELEECH'S DAUGHTERS.
Since the beginning of creation the Horse
ieech's daughters have been crying Give!
Gvep and so to-day the hungry. warning
world cries its Unsuitable demand, "Givel" with
out itself giving in return to the producer Of
that upon which it feeds And the cry OF
"Givei Givel' is more insstent, more rau-
cous to-day than ever before, for are not the
daughters war and famine? The farmer who
gives 20 the world its daily bread is forever
the WORLDS creditor. with an uncollectble
claim, for he is never fully paid
He sells for less than cost; he awaits in
vain for full settlement. =
To the average city man the typical pros
porous farmer is he Of the ten or twenty thou
,snd acre bonanza wheat farm Of the West He
whose farm alone fills q grain elevator with its
own wheat is deemed the great business
fsnes," in q class superior to the ordinary