St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-01-05

troll undoubtedly held down prices
| later, still only three of the thirteen
groups of commodities failed to
reach peak points in 1917 Hence
it was the general price level as
shown by Bradstreet's Index Num-
bers of Commodities went up steadi-
iy month by month throughout the
year; that the advance from Janu
airy to December was 20 per cent;
1914, was 105 per cent, or more
than doubling since the war began.
In other words, the buying power of
/ the dollar to-day is less than hat
what it was at the outbreak of the
war, and only one-third what it was
n the loW-water-mark year 1895.
The yearly index numbers, reflect
ing, as they do, the average for the
entire year, do not show as great
gain, but still the 1917 number is
IS per cent. in advance Of that Of
| 1914.
| The Crops.
| The crop results of 1917 show
that the balance lost by the unfav-
orable weather and short yields of
1915 was partly restored by the eff
forts of the agriculturist. This is
true, at least, of most of the crops
though the loss Of winter wheat in
1917-1S was not made up in spring
wheat, and the bumper yields of rye.
corn, oats, white and sweet potatoes
and beans were the result rather Of
enlarged areas than of increased
yields per acre. However, the yields
| of leading cereals - meat-animal
| feeds foremost-were over one-ifth
| larger than the year before, and po-
| tatoes, an important human food,
were far in advance of any previous
year. The plant-a-garden movement
first actively proposed early in the
| month of March, was triumphantly
INDICATED and should see further ex-
pansion in 1918. The effort to pant
a tremendous area in winter wheat
in the fall OF 1917 was checked by
adverse weather (drought) but still
a record area has been planted,
though the condition of 1913 is s
points below year ago.. 10 points
below the ten-year average, and is
/ the lowest December condition on
record The comparatively moder-
ate returns in cumulative way in
1917 were, thanks to insistent de-
mand, turned into a veritable god
mine in a money way, cereal crops
gain of only 81 per cent, in quantity;
gaining 81 per cent. in value on
the values OF twenty-four leading
crops were SO per cent. in excess OF
1916, and all farm products reached
the sum Of $21, 600, 900, 900, or about
what will have been spent for all
purposes by the United States gov
eminent from January l, 1917, to
June 80. 1918.
Looking Forward.
/ 1nasmuCh as the war has been and
is the great moving feature In this
\ country's trade, as it is indeed In
every other department of the world
activity, all views as to the future OF
finances, commerce and industry
must hinge upon the course and out
come of that struggle. AS a par
ticipant in, instead Of Spectator
of, the struggle as in the preceding
years, this country must naturally
expect to show more effects OF it the
| longer the conflict c ntinues. If the
experience of Great Britain through
three years and of ourselves through
nine months is to be accepted as a
guide, the tendency will be TO more
and more subordinate all interests
to the winning Of the country's great
est fight. The course of the stock
market, especially since the mid
year, which has been quite steadily
downward, is but repeating that o.
those abroad, and points to fur
Their attraction of capital from al.
other activities to that OF financing
our immense expenditures. So, too
with our industries, number Of the
so-called essential ones have al
ready felt the effect of diversion Of
demand or of economies advocated
or enforced by public interest. The
drain en- our man power-1we have
now nearly 100000 men in the
military and nava, service-and the
extension OF the draft bid fair to
draw other millions away from the
farm, the factory, the Office and the
store. Providing for these mus
throw greater burden upon those
remaining at home and upon the
women of the country also. "Busi-
ness as usual surely cannot apply
to us any more than it has abroad.
In Britain there are said to De
100000 women taking the places
of men who have gone to the front.
The displacement Of demand from
civilian to military lines, noted as
growing month by month through
1917, promises to become even more
marked in 1918, and, coupled with
the economics enforced by what
looks like permanet,y higher prizes
fer all commodities, point to effects
upon general trade, which can be
limited at but not always forecasted
or arranged for There seems to be
certain further singing out Of es-
sential as opposed to non-essentaC
lines which will allow of still closer