Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-03
NEW SOUTHERN CROPS.

NEW SOUTHERN CROPS.
In it's experience of diversification
the South is learning the value of
| seemingly unimportant things, so that
the production of peanuts from Virginia
| along the Atlantic coast into southern
Georgia and across into Oklahoma and
Texas is becoming a matter of great
| import, the product running into many
millions Of dollars. And in northern
Texas the great area planted to the
ground peas and COOLERS" of southern
phraseology proved an ever present
help in time of trouble, when feedstuff
for man and beast. and cotton. withered
! up under the long dreary drought.
DROUGHT THIS YEAR.
The State Of Texas experienced a
drought which was the worst in its his
tory for extent and duration. 1t has only
been partly believed, so that much Of
western and southern Texas still suffers
| from lack of moisture. This drought ex-
tended throughout the great grazing
ranges of Texas into eastern New Mexico,
and still perseveres. so that cattle have
suffered severely. and are being shipped
out of that territory as fast as possible.
As always, necessity proved a great
| teacher, and goats and sheep have been
found to do better in emergencies Of this
kind than cattle. and the indications are
that these animals will receive moro atten-
ton in the future in the semi-arid regions
where the great grazing ranges are
located. In the acknowledgement in
northern North Dakota, much of Montana,
and northern Idaho,-the same trying
drought prevailed as in the Southwest,
and with much the same unfortunate re.
suits.
1t is significant that, in North Dakota,
especially. the federal farm loan act is
helping farmers out of their emergency,
and enabling them to settle their accounts
with the merchants: for they were in dire
distress after two successive crop failures
DISTRIBUTION ON PRODUCTS.
AS might have been expected. we have
encountered serious proposition in the
lack Of efficient and economic distribu-
| tive systems and methods, because tho
great productions of last year still re-
main to be equalized in their npportion-
ment for the benefit of the general public.
There are sections where Irish potatoes
were raised in great quantities and where
| they are living idle because there is no
market and no place to which to ship
them, while other sections are paying
higher prices for these same goods than
II it were possible TO have more general
and equitable distribution.
WINTER GRAINS.
The growing crops that most concern US
are winter wheat. winter rye. winter oats
and the citrus fruits. There is much
planting Of winter rye and winter oats,
the latter being almost entirely sowed in
the southern States. The increase in the
NJ Nly1,n 1aa
proximately ~ per cent, but is most
unequally distributed. 1t is less in some
portions of Kansas and Oklahoma, owing
to prolonged dry fall. which rendered
seeding impossible, while it is very great
| in the neighboring State of Missouri
probably being greater there than In any
other commonwealth. Its increase also
| proportionately, is marked in the southern
states. as far south as southern Georgia.
The growing crop is generally in good
condition, as recent SHOWS in Oklahoma
| and Kansas came in good time to save
| much of 1t that was close to the ragged
| edge of disaster There are still portions
| OF the Southwest where more moisture ia
needed. but In general the growing plant
| goes into the usually trying winter well
! fortified against climatic troubles.
CITRUS FRUITS.
The citrus fruits do not stack up as we'll
as usual. because of severe cold and
freezes last winter in California and
Florida. followed by hot winds last sum-
mer in California.
SUGAR AND SUBSTITUTES
The high price of sugar led to extensive
planting Of saccharine sorghums and
sugar cane. 1t is interesting also that
there has been a great effort to increase
the production Of honey. because OF the
same shortage and high price of sugar.
Unfortunately the summer was cool and
not favorable for honey production.
SORGHUM GRAINS.
The non-saccharine and sorghum
grains, milo. kaffir. and feterita. show
greatly increased production over
| last year.
LIVESTOCK
The livestock situation Is very good,
| save in the drought stricken regions,
OF which mention has been made De.
spite the very high prices for meat ami.
mails. and the close selling off Of live
stock by some farmers. there still seems
to be an increase in their numbers,
and this will be helped from now on by
the abundance OF feed and by constant
growth in the number Of silos being
built This is true especially in the
South. as the infested areas are being
cleared of the cattle tick.
| HOGS
| The high price of hogs stimulates
production, and fortunately under fav-
orable conditions the entire hog popu-
lation can be doubled IN twelve months
Especially is this true at present be-
cause OF the almost total absence Of
hog cholera
| SHEEP.
Future increase in sheep seems to
depend largely upon vhs small farms
rather than the grayiug ranges Of the
West. The latter are being gradually
curtailed by the constant incursion OF
dry-farming. while all through the
west and the South 1t il fast being
realized that sheep are as much q part
OF farming as other livestock.
DAIRY INDUSTRY.
Everywhere throughout the country
with scarcely an exception. the dairy
Industry is extending its bounds, and
becoming an important local product
This II true likewise of poultry. moro
particularly chickens, as their numbers
ton.
LUMBER AND MINES.
Lumber mills are running full, and
$50 are coal mines. Mining of all kinds