The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-05-05
Foreign Advertising Representative
THE AMERICAN PRESS ASSOClATlON
THE GOOD FARMERS CREDIT is
GOOD.

There are, of course, poor farm
ers, just as there are poor business
men. Neither should expect or re-
ceiye credit or favor from the bank.
In every good agricultural section
however, there are farmers VIII
would be greatly benefited by en-
ploying their credit more as an
active than as potential asset.
They. might have to be sold on the
idea of borrowing money to increass
their production or to improve their
property and equipment, but such a
service would be profitable business
to the banker and promote the de-
velopment and prosperity Of the en-
tire community.
The farmer has certain credit
facilities at the present time. The
Federal farm loan banks and local
savings or trust institutions will
readily lend him money on land and
the business of these institutions is
constantly increasing. In some Sec
lions, short-time credit can be Sc
cured. A banker can help in the
material progress of his community
| in no better way than to lend money
| to reliable farmers for the purchase
| of better seeds, pure-bred livestock
| labor-saving machinery, improved
equipment and fertilizers which
| when properly used greatly increase
| yields, improve crop quality, and
keep UP the fertility of the soil.
Some banks employ agriculturally
| trained men to- solicit this kind OF
business. County agents can be de
| pended upon for advice in these mat
| tiers.
Up to this point the credit needs
| of many farmers are fairly well
cared for, but there is another kino
| of credit which no agency is pre-
l pared to handle at the present time
| namely: that which farmer needs
| to carry him through crop grow
| ing and selling season or live stock
l feeding period. This may mean an
| extension of credit for from ST.:
months to three years. American
agriculture is fast changing from E
hit-and-miss proposition to one re
| quiring the application of business
principles in production and selling
| Land has been the cheapest aao
most plentiful thing we have had il
the past, and soil resources have
been wasted by careless methods anG
lack of well-defined policies of farm
management. There is little new
land left to be exploited. Farmers
must settle down on what they have
| and produce food in competition
with other nations for an ever III
creasing population. Distances hav
been wiped out by transportation
/ systems, and cold storage facilities
| All sections of the country are il
competition with each other. Ore
gon apples compete more success
fully with New York apples for the
New York market than do those
grown in Maryland or Virginia. Sue
cessful farmers will have to follow
the scientific principles disclosed by
/ the experiment stations and taught
by the county agricultural agents
Low yields must be greatly increas
ed and production costs lowered
This means the development of agri-
culture along sound business lines
The real big business of this coun-
try is agriculture. To put in on a
permanent, self-sustaining, and
profitable basis will require the
adoption of new mthods, new equip
ment, different systems of manage
ment, and the same credit facilities
as other business men enjoy.
There is no one who can do more to
bring about these adjustments and
assist in developing a stable and
profitable agriculture than the bank
err who has the best interests of his
community at heart.