Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-05-15

for each teacup full of bugs they de-
liver to him.
But the farmer doesn't have pota-
to bugs alone to fight He has to
fight tent caterpillars which, in my
locality, are yearly increasing in
mum berS and damage; he has to fight
cooling moths and gypsy moths and
San Jose scale and about 'steen other
pests on his trees; he has to fight cut
worms and chinch bugs and white
grubs and maggots; he has to fight
striped beetles and stink bugs and
red ants and flea beetles and a. lot
more on his garden crops; he has to
keep his eye peeled all the time for
some blight or smut or mildew or
anthnacnose on general crops; hardly
a year passes that he isn't faced by
some new insect or fungus problem.
If he is going to save his harvest he
has got to know the habits and char
acters of all these numerous enemies,
and know what special trick to- turn
in order to beat them.
Instead of the comparatively SIM
pie and reasonably certain work it
used to be in our fathers days farm
ing has become one of the most com
plicated and bepuzzling problems that
the wit of man is confronted with.
I don't wonder that so many farmers
fail of success. I wonder that SO
many manage to make a live of it!
1t is not true that farm products
are dear in price. Considering all
things, it is a matter for intelligent
people to feel surprise that they run
so cheap. You complain that flour is
way up. It certainly is higher than
it has been, but how about potatoes?
less than it costs to raise them and
store them. And reports indicate
that there are at least 100000 BUSH
els surplus still stored away in the
whole country which the market can't
and won't take at any price. We
fasteners have got into the idea
that we can't raise cereals in compe-
tftion with the west. Now that the
war has caused an unusual demand
for western grains we are helpless to
protect ourselves and have to pay or
go without. But even in the case of
wheat and corn, prices are not actu-
ally high. in consideration of the cost
and risk involved in their production.
Instead Of being unduly high in price
they are even yet cheaper, in proper
ton, than the average run of manu-
featured goods. And pay less profit,
in proportion, to their producers.
The simple truth is that people have
been accustomed for SO long to get
their meats and their grains and their
vegetables for less than they were
actually worth, i. e. for less than their
production cost with a fair profit add
ed, that when the farmers begin to
set right prices for their wares a
whole lot begin to kick and charge
them with extortion.
1t would be wiser for our consumer
friends to look the facts square in the
face, and recognize that the day of
cheap farm products has passed. The
cost of raising crops is steadily in
creasing. The bug and blight risks
connected with the work are constant
ly growing greater. The demand for
sight on the part of farm producers is
yearly more insistent. The farmer
has got to have better prices for his
goods, not necessarily to improve his
condition, but to keep even with his
expenses
Do you suppose that 979,4oo acres
of farm land were abandoned in New
England between 1900 and 1910 Just
for a, whim, and while the owners
were making wages on them? Not
much! Yet the United States census
shows that there were S79,499 acres
less improved farm land in cultivation
in New England in 1910 than in 1900
Those are the figures given to the
census takers by the farmers them
selves In New England, New York,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania $780,
S34 acres less of improved farm lands
in cultivation in 1910 than in 1900!
This is said to be greater than the
combined area of Connecticut, Rhode
Island and Massachusetts.
Now no farmer gives up WORKING
land which he is making money on.
If he dies and such land comes in to
the market it is taken by some one
else.
The reason for this decrease was
solely that 1t didn't pay to work the
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