Smyrna times., 1921-08-31
EXPERTS ATTACK PROBLEM
WHY FARMING DOESN'T PAY
PRODUCTION INCREASES BIT
FARM DEBTS PILE HIGH
Extension of Farm Credits and Bet
ter Marketing System and Econo-
mics in Production May Prove Aid

mics in Production May Prove Aid
What is the matter with farming in
America? Why can't the farmer-or
at least, why can't great many far
mers-make living under present
conditions?
Why is farm tenancy increasing?
And what can be done about it?
These are the big questions with
which the experts in the department
OF agriculture are wrestling TODAY,
says Ralph Burton, the Washington
correspondent to the Delmarvia Star
of Wilmington. Out of the six and
one-half million farmers in the United
States, two and one-half millions do
not own the land from which they are
producing crops, and eight southern
states have more rented farms than
all forty others. Mortgages are be-
coming a heavier load; and though
production is increasing, the farm
debts are growing too rapidly.
Extension of farm credits, estab-
ishment of federal bonded warehouses
for farm produce, improvement in
marketing systems and economies in
production are all apparently neces-
sary to put farming on its feet. The
most encouraging development of
general significance, perhaps, is the
breaking away of the south from the
one crop system. The effect is illus
trated in reports to the Department
from Mississippi, which show that
: eighty to ninety per cent. of the cot
ton producers there owe money to
banks, whereas comparatively few
notes are held against dairy farmers,
who are rapidly increasing in number.
The Department of Agriculture, in
any event, is going to attack the prob
lem of agricultural depression from
every possible angle, and eventually
a consolidation of the office, of farm
management and economies with the
recently combined bureau of markets
and bureau of crop estimates is ex-
pected to result, in order that the
most effective utilization of resources
may be made.
Advise Farmers to Study Conditions
First of all, the department wants
to help farmers decide what kind of
enterprise or enterprises they want to
undertake. That implies study of the
size of the farm, its productive ability
its lay out, its location and the cost OF
producing various crops in the neigh.
borhood. Other factors, of course, are
the labor supply tendencies of prices
and market grades. By setting farm.
ers right on the kinds of work they
engage in, a great deal can be done
it is thought, to maRc agriculture
more profitable.
The cost of raising crops and Of
marketing them is another vely i'm
portant item, and elementary cost ac
counting will be made practicable fOl
every farmer who wants to get bet
ter idea of his income and outgo. Th'
question of ownership and tenancy /
highly important as are land value
generally. Land settlement and col
onization will be made subjects o
study by experts, and it is hoped tina
a wholesome system of land tenur
can be worked out 1t is also desire
to insure harmonious relations amoni
such groups as the farm workers, Ian
owner and tenants.
Marketing Big Problem to deal Wit
Since one of the big problems cor
fronting the farmer is that of maj
keting, much attention will be paid
that aspect of the situation, Farmer
all over the country are complalnin
bitterly of exorbitant freight rate
Stories are told of melon shipments Q
which the freight was four times tt
value of the melons; of enormoI
prices for hay imported into the Sout
because of the carriers charges. ii
demand for specific crops will be il
vestigated by the department, so TIL
the farmer may have better idea
what he is doing. Storage is almo
as important a problem as transpo
tation for now farmers sell perishat
crops as quickly as possible and +
whatever price the buyer will off
For that reason the interest in fedel
bonded warehouses is increasi
steadily; they would form buff
against economic forces that NJ
make the farmer prey.
Statistics, history and geography
have their place in the general p
gram, but perhaps the function of
department that will most interest
real business man who has gone il
the question: of farm financing. ]
agricultural possibilities of otl
countries, methods of making ia
life more pleasant and various ext
sion activities will complete the e
nomic program.