The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-03-31
FARM EXPENSES
TAKE BIG JUMP
Huge Increase in Use of Com
merciaI Fertilizers in Last
Twenty Years Revealed.
MAKE SURVEY OF AGRICULTURE
Virgin Soil Of Nation Has at Length
Worn Out and Fertility Must BE
Added-Hired Men Get
Better Pay.

Added-Hired Men Get
Better Pay.
Washington.-The enigma of why
American farming cannot survive un-
der present conditions, although the
prices Of foodstuffs are higher than
they were in any prewar year, is not
the only topic dealt with In the re-
port of the joint commission which
investigated the agricultural crisis.
The report itself constitutes a broad
survey Of farming as 1t is at present
conducted and as such 1t makes clear
what q change has come over the
business Of food production during the
last 20 years.
One prime characteristic Of farming
today Is Its increased and increasing
use Of fertilizer. The virgin soil of
the nation that once produced a heavy
series Of crops year after year and
seemed inexhaustible In it's richness
has at length worn out. Not even
manures and the rotation of crops
can sustain its productivity. Fertility
has to be addedrand it must be added
in the form of commercial fertilizers.
At the beginning Of the present CEN
tury the farmers Of America, and
principally those. Of the older states
east Of the Mississippi, were buying
commercial fertilizers at the rate Of
about $54,OOO,OOO in value each year.
In 1919 they spent nearly 1890, 600 900.
Twenty years ago not 100000 q
year was spent for fertilizers by farm
ers west of the Mississippi river; in
1919 the farmers Of that region spent
approximately $27,OOO,OO0. The Pa
ciflc states are using nine times as
much fertilizer now as they did then.
These figures are evidence of the ex-
haustion Of the soil.
Hired Men Get Better Pay.
The hired man on the farm gets bet
ter pay than he used to. His wages
now, figuring In his board as part of
his pay, are about three and one-half
times what they were in 1893. It is
costing farmers today nearly four
times as much to feed their live stock
as it did only ten years ago.
In ten years the farms of the ma
ton have nearly doubled in value, due
to the increasing cost Of land. The
average farm in 1910 was valued at
$5,471. The present value of the av-
erage farm is $10.5N, while the total
present farm value Is close to $68, OO0,-
100000. This represents an increase
Of about $4,000, 100000. On this in
creased value interest must be paid,
and the greater difficulty Of making
the farm pay as an investment is one
Of the things which is embarrassing
our farming.
Although in 20 years there has been
a great increase in the use Of farm ma
chinery, the crop statistics do not in
dicate that machinery is increasing
production. 1t is permitting fewer men
to operate the farms, but It Is not
sending the farm output ahead Of the
increase in population. Yet, as farm
labor grows harder and harder to get,
the tendency is toward greater use
Of machinery. This is another indi-
cation which points to higher food
prices In the future.
Farm Implements Cost More.
Farm machinery and tools have
greatly increased in price. So has
lumber. Today one farm in every
twenty-eight owns at least one trac-
tor; two out Of every hundred main
tain motortrucks; while the automo-
bile has now become so prevalent that
practically one farm of every three
has one. The great wheat and corn
states of the upper and middle Missis-
sippi valley are the chief users Of trac-
tors. Here there Is tractor for every
nine farms. -
While machinery has not increased
the output of crops per acre, 1t has
increased crop output per unit Of Ia
Dor. F--..- --
The physical conditions Of living on
farms are growing better. The great
number Of automobiles in use-nearly
100000 cars on the farms In 1920
is an indication of this. There are
about 100000 motortrucks and 250,O00
tractors In use Telephones are now
installed In more than 2,500, 600 Amer
lean farmhouses, or In almost 40 per
cent OF them. Nearly $4,000 Ameri.
. can farm homes have their own wa.
ter and sewerage systems. About 49,
600 Of them are lighted by gas or cleo.
tricity.
Science, while It has done much,
has not yet rescued the farmer from
the business hazards Of weather, de
structive insect pests, or plant and
animal diseases. The commission be.
lieves much more can be done to rem.
der farming less exposed to these
risks.
Hand In hand with the increase In
the value OF the farm lands has gone
an Increase In the total mortgage on
those lands. The lands themselves
have nearly doubled In value, but the
mortgage has considerably more than
doubled. It is estimated that the pres
ent total mortgage debt on American
farms is $S663, 0000oO, as against
approximately 5000. 100000 In 1910.
On the average the interest rate on
the farm debt at present fs Ell per
cent.
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