The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-04-12

fare for a larger acreage Of soy
[bcans and cowpeas. There is alst
an increased interest in the grow
ling Of beans, broom corn and
Iother crops now selling much
above ordinary prices.
M FRUIT-Corrcs place
1.-THE outlook for q fruit crop at 6S
per cent. Apparently the peach
Fcrop will be almost an entire fail
ure except in the Southeast sec
ton where present condition is AZ
per cent.
LIVE STOCK-Meat animals
Of all kinds are scarce, liquida-
ton having been carried to the
limit. Rather than buy feed at
what seemed prohibitivc prices,
farmers have soli much Of their
stock. While this has brought
about a serious shortage, it has re-
suited in raising still! higher the
quality of Missouri liyt stock. The
scrub and the .'staf-. boarder'
have been sold generally at prof
titable prices, and more attention
lis being given to the better ami
mails. Number Of hogs now on
feed as compared with one year
ago is estimated at but SIS per
cent; number of cattle, Sc per
cent. In breeding animals the
shortage is not quite SO great. 1t
is estimated that there are rs per
cent as many brood sows on Mis-
souri, farms as there were one year
ago, and ting number of pigs is
placed at II per cent. OF all
meat animals sheep show the
smallest decrease in numbers. It
is estimated that there are 81 per
cent as many breeding sheep in
Missouri as there were one year
ago and that lambs show practi-
cally the same per cent. The feed
ing of western sheep has been
more extensive and more profit
able than ever before. Especial
ly in Southern Missouri there is a
growing interest in goats, which
are proving money makers.
Dairying is receiving a decided
impetus through the work OF
State Dairy Commissioner E. G.
Bennett, under whose leadership
hundreds Of dairy cows and
heifers are being shipped into the
state. With a view to reducing
hog losses to the minimum, cam
paign has been inaugurated under
direction of DR.. d. f. Luckey,
state veterinarian.
FEED AND PROVISIONS
Correspondents estimate part OF
1916 crops remaining on Missouri
farms as follows: Corn, 18 per
cent, or 25, OO0, 900 bushels; wheat,
rs per cent or 100000 bushels;
oats, Is per cent or 3,675,OO0
bushels; hay, 20 per cent or S19,-
GOO tons. One year ago fapfi,
holdings were: Corn, go per
cent wheat, II; oats, 10, and
hay, 20. The 1915 yields of corn
and wheat were much larger than
for 1916, but the hay crop was
lighter. There has
been an increased planting of po-
tatoes, but this is less than it
would have been except for the
high cost Of seed. Correspondents
estimate an increase of IA per
cent as compared with fl, $50
acres in 1916. 1t is estimated that
there will be a 10 per cent in
crease in garden areas, and 70 per
cent of the correspondents are of
the opinion that somewhat more
truck will be. grown than last
year. That the increase will not
be greater is due to the shortage
of help, both in the fields and in
the house; to the lack Of conven-
lent and profitable markets for
any surplus vegetables, and to the
fact that work in the fields leaves
but little time for gardening.
Sixty-six per cent of the CORE
spondents report a shortage Of
help for outdoor work. Monthly.
wages, where hands are boarded,
average $24.85; where house and
garden spot are provided but man
boards himself, 1920; day
wages, SLAP. AS it is almost i'm
possible to get help, many women
who would otherwise turn to gar
lening, cannot do so. Eighty
line per cent of the correspond
'nts say that it is hard to secure
lelp in the house. Monthly wages
lverage $14 with board. Wages