The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-12-05
FIGURES MADE PUBLIC
BY U. S. DEPARTMENT
FARMER CANNOT SQUARE AC-
COUNTS BUT CAN PAY BIG
DEBT, BUREAU DECLARES.


er is coming back into the nations
markets with cash to spend He is
making greater realization on the
crops of 1922 than on any other of
the past three yields. He is by no
means out of the woods, but he seems
to be on the way and his prospects
appear brighter at this time than they
were a year ago.
Figures made public by the depart
ment OF agriculture this week indicate
the extent to which the farmer has
advanced within the past year. These
figures show, with respect 10 the four
main crops, that cotton is 80 per cent
higher than it was a year ago; corn,
more than SO per cent higher; wheat,
4 per cent higher, and oats about ~
per cent higher. The price of cattle has
advanced about IS per cent and that
of hogs about 10 per cent since inven-
tory was taken of the last years har-
vest, twelve months ago.
Billion Dollar Increase
Although the department has not
formally announced it, the latest price
returns on farm products show that
the value of the four main crops of
l922-cotton, corn, wheat and oats
in round figures is $1,000000000 more
than the value of those same crops in
1921. If live stock increases are added
to this the increased value of what
the farmer has to sell this year is rails
ed to approximately $1,250000,000. If
the increase in miscellaneous farm
products, including fruits and dairy
products, is figured in the farmers of
the country are better off by not less
than 81 ,500,000000 than they were in
November, 1921.
A phenomenal advance in the price
of corn has added about S625 100000
to potential wealth to the farmers of
the nation this year Department fig-
ures show the average price on the
farm at this time is go cents bush
ell, as compared with ALI cents BUSH
Ell a year ago Not all the big corn
crop, however, will be sold, the great
bulk Of it going to hogs and cattle,
which also are higher The bulk of
the corn crop was in the hands OF the
farmer when the rise came, so he will
share heavily in the increase.
Cotton Crop Enhanced.
The cotton crop of about 100000
bales has enriched the farmers to the
extent of about $250,000,000 above the
sum received by them for last years
crop Most OF the 1922 crop has been
sold and the price is still rising. 1t has
touched rs cents almost every where
and sales have been reported as high
as 81 cents. The average advance over
1921, however, the department figures,
at $50 cents a pound, or about $Z4.5O
a bale.
Wheat prices remain about where
they were year ago, the farm price
being reported to the department at
o7.8 cents as compared with o4.2 cents
a bushel a year ago. Enhancement OF
the wheat crop, according to this dill
ference would be about $25,G00,00
More than 1,230,000,000 bushels of
oats were produced this year, the de-
partment estimates. If they all carry
the nine cent advance which the de-
partment figures has occurred within
the year the increased value is about
The farmer therefore, in the light of
these figures, appears IN the role OF
a buyer with 500,000,000 more to
spend than he had last year. Such IS
not entirely the case, however, ac-
cording to reports to the department.
The farmer has been in debt, officials
say, for the past two years and is still
heavily in debt He has more money
with which TO pay off his indebted
ness. but so heavily has he been hit
bv postwar dehation of values that
he cannot square his account, as a
whole, even with the proceeds OF TINS
years higher crops.
Nevertheless, the farmers of the
country may reasonably be expected
not to apply the full increase to debts,
but to spend considerably more money
this wear than last, according to de-
partment officials, and to the extent
of the increase will help along indus
trial and commercial prosperity.
Production Continues to Rise.
Production of virtually all basic
commodities continue to raise, the de-
partment of commerce officially an
nounces. Pig iron, steel, coal, silk,
cement and other materials show in
creased volume of output. Textile
prices have risen sharply, largely in
response to the increases in cotton, and
the demand is reported better than
at any time within thirty months.
The inevitable effect OF rising prices
in farm products and wages was re-
Aected in an advance in living costs
of one per cent during October, ac-
cording to the department of labor.
That authority's figures indicate, also,
that exclusive of farm, products living
costs have advanced more than ten
per cent within the past year.