Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-05-28
NEW ENGLAND
CROP REPORT

Prospective 1920 Acreage; Maine,
growers in Aroostook will plant a some
what larger acreage than last Year-if
thew get fertilizer enough in time This,
however, is quite improbable because OF
so much DELAY in shipments. Mchi-
gan-present outlook is for 80 per cent
of last years acreage Minnesota SO
per cent; Wisconsin-9j per cent; New
York-97 per cent. High prices and
scarcity of seed OF fertilizer and of
labor are the main unfavorable con-
ditions
Hay acreage will be increased l per
cent to 3 per cent because OF decreases
in titled crops. Meadows wintered well
and not much spring injury occurred.
The condition is very promising, being
about "a per cent of normal throughout
New England except in Rhode Island
and Connecticut, where it is 81 per cent
and SO per cent respectively Old hay
stock, except in northern New Hamp-
shire and Vermont is quite low, being
about s per cent of the 1919 crop.
Flowing: Aroostook County, Me, did
the full amount of fall blowing but
elsewhere except in Vermont the amount
done up to May / is considerably less
than the usual Short labor, general
uncertainty and late, cold spring are
main causes.
Pastures are late and slow in starting
growth, due to excessively cold, stormy
weather. The condition averages about
y per cent below normal
Losses of Live Stock except among
lambs in Vermont. have been well be-
low the usual. Stock is generally in
good condition, though rather thin in
all sections where hav and other feeds
have been short.
GENERAL
Fewer Cows: Reports Just received
from about 1000 Massachusetts farmers
show decrease in number OF COWS on
their farms of 4 per cent. Reasons
given are inability to get labor, and
lack of profit enough to justify keeping
as many. 1t is believed that somewhat
more of the poor producers are sold
for slaughter but that most OF the
increased sales of good cows indicated
a change of ownership.
Farm Labor: These same 1000 farms
had 20 per cent less labor April 20
this year than last year and this is
fairly representative of the acute short
age of farm help throughout New Eng
land. The supply last year-in fact for
several years-was very inadequate;
but now it is forcing marked reductions
in crop acreages. Market garden crops,
on the average, seem likely to be re-
duced about % per cent from last year,
Crops taking much hand labor show
heaviest reductions. On the farms over
New England there is shifting to
crops requiring less labor and needed
most for the farmers own use. Pota-
toes are likely to show about 20 per
cent of the 1919 acreage in Maine New
Hampshire and Vermont and about
IS per cent in Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island and Connecticut In these lat
ter states seed is very scarce and hlgh
in price. As things stand now a sub
stantial reduction in food crops seems
probable High and higher wages in
other industries and public work, short
hours, and pleasant employment have
drawn more and more of the labor
away from the farms, In one rural
town having 225 farms, 40 farms are
vacant and unworked; there are but
men on farms under IS wears of age
and the average age Of the farmers is
5S wears. This is representative OF
conditions in probably a considerable
part of New England towns. The IN
terest and demand OF the buving public
including labor, have centered manly
in manufactured goods, leaving a less
active demand for foods, Sooner or
later the situation must adjust itself
because we can not 90 on for long with
out sufficient food These conditions
probably indicate higher prices for
farm crops