The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-12-20

! The fancy prices Danish butter COM
mands in the worlds markets are pro-
hibitive to the ordinary Danish con-
sumner, hence the demand for a sub
stitute for the daily spread.
Great Demand for Grapes.
Shipments of grapes in 1922 from
the three leading grape-growing
States in the East-New York. Michi-
gan. and Pennsylvania-were double
their average annual shipments. New
York shipped 7,4S4 cars, compared
with an average of 1854 for the years
1917-1921; Michigan shipped 1888 cars
compared with an average of 2,912;
and Pennsylvania, 1874 compared
with 737
These figures typify what has also
happened in California. The acreage
planted to grapes is steadily increas-
ing on the coast and the price of grape
land is higher than ever. Grape
growers who feared that the loss OF
the wine trade would ruin the grape
| industry have learned that the effect
/ of prohibition is making them rich.
California shipped $4,000 cars Of
| grapes in 1922.
President Harding is doing some
/ thing those who are seriously inter
ested in the general good of the coun-
/ try must heartily applaud, when he
| formulates a new administrative pro-
gram for carrying immediate financial
relief to the farmers of the nation,
says the Detroit Free Press "There
is no question about the imperative
call for that sort of legislation. This
country can not really get firmly up
on its feet until the agriculturist is
f Nil srl,
perity, through some federal action"
Though we do not believe that the
President is being moved fundamen-
tally by considerations of political ex-
pediency, his action is also wise
strategy. He takes the initiative from
the farm bloc and practically invites it
to cooperate with him in a move for
the general good instead of standing
off and fighting him. That invitation
can not in decency be declined; and if
it is not accepted, those who hold off
will have to do some explaining"
Corn Shrinkage
The question of how much corn will
shrink, supposing it to grade No. 4
at husking time, is often asked AS
matter of fact but little corn is dry
enough to grade No. when husked
unless the husking is later than ordi-
narily done. But if it happens to be
No. it should not shrink to exceed
13 per cent by the time it is dry
enough to grade No 2. But taking
average condition of corn at husking
time an authority on the moisture con
tent of corn says he would expect 4
shrinkage of Is to II per cent between
husking and August of the followine
year. If there is rat damage the
shrinkage may be much more.
AS to oats, if the weather is dry a
harvest time, they are not likely tt
! shrink over one or two per cent; bu
if not properly stored rats, chickens
and weevils may cost the farmer con
| siderable weight
II In the interesting annual repor
! made recently by Secretary Wallace
4 he says: There is food in supera
bundance. and this contributes to th'
!. prosperity of business and industr,
{ for a time, but the inadequate return
n which the farmer is receiving, ant
; has for three years, inevitably mus
r result in readjustments in the nun
ber of people on the farms and in tn
:, cities, which will not be for the con
9 tinuing good of the nation
In another part Secretary Wallac
tells US: 1T is fair to say that in ger
y eral the farmers of the United State
: are in a better position financial,
. now than they were a year or eigt
: teen months ago. Farm products ar
Z selling at considerably higher prices