The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-05
OF CROP
STORAGE A LIVE ONE,
having Reduced Great Yield it Will be Necessary Now for
Farmers to Properly Put Away-Bad Practice to Rush
Crops to Market as Soon as Gathered.

How Each Farmer Should Be Pre-
pared to Store His Crop is the sub
yect or the following article, written
Dy b. c. Moomaw, Jr., director of the
ulVision OF markets, and appearing in
the August bulletin issued by the state
department of Agriculture:
virginia is producing this year
the greatest crop of foodstuffs in the
history of the state. Never before
nave SO many plats OF potatoes. so
much corn. so many fields of wheat.
SO much hay and forage been planted
or harvested.
This creates a situation that will
require some thought and activity on
the part of the farmer II he Is to
realize from his crops the profit that
ls his just due and that market con-
ditions Justify. We believe that the
1000 situation in the world is such
mat all staple food products Will
bring a price that will give to farm
'ers fair profit, but this will not be
Inc case IL the proper methods of
distribution are not practfced. and
great part OF this distribution. at
deast so far as our state markets are
concerned, Ia in the farmers hand.
10 be able to regulate this distriou-
'tion even to limited extent 1t is
necessary for the farmer TO be pre-
mis- own farm.
The great increase in crops will
make a greater production than the
local market will be able to handle
ITO advantage certainly at the time of
harvest or the short time immediately
after harvest that usually elapses be-
lore the crops are marketed, 1t has
fheen bad practice on the part OF
many farmers to rush their crops on
the market as soon as they are gath
cred. not because he is not aware that
this is bad practice. out because he
has no means of storing the crops
This causes temporary
glut in which thu price goes down
whether the general market conai-
etions the country over warrant the
decrease or not. 1t also creates
situation which permits food. specu-
flators TO secure large portion OF the
crop at low prices and to hold them
and later distribute them through the
regular channels al greatly in
creased price,
The staple crops are grown in suf-
fcient quantity to last the entire year
and when the greater portion of them
is thrown on the market in few
months, as liz frequently the case, 1t
Is only natural that the result will
be depressed market,
I'm the oIner mana. III the taTr3a-
ers would arrange proper storage IA
cilities on their own farms II would
enable them TO supply the normal
demand over much longer period
and thus regulate the distribution
along normal lines. 1t also frequently
happens In Virginia when the crops
are marketed in the fall and shipped
way that in the winter and spring
there IS a shortage In these very pro-
duets which then have 10 be shipped
back at tremendously increased price,
This practice not only results in
loss To the farmer. hut to the com
muntty as well.
The most important point. how
ever. Ia the protection proper storage
arrangements will give to the farmer
himself. When he has no proper
means Of storing and holding his
crop he lis absolutely at the mercy
OF the buyer. II he has no means OF
storage he must sell and sell at a
time when the market Is generally
st Its lowest point. The situation this
year, because OF the large increase IN