Evening star., 1923-12-19
DIVERSIFIED CROPS
URGED FOR FARMS.
Plan With Cooperative Mar
keting Called Solution
of Problems.

DAY 10 turn TO ulNeFSlHcaIlon OF crops
and the development of cooperative
marketing as the only sound basis
for agricultural prosperity"
Basing its observations on data
supplied by the twelve federal land
bank presidents, who have just con-
cluded their winter conference here,
the board said in statement that
conditions in the agricultural indus
try showed very satisfactory i'm
provement,'' but ii felt that full ad-
vantage of the situation might not be
taken by the farmers unless they di-
Nersitied crops and organized for their
their sale.
The information furnished by the
land banks officials gave every rea-
son. the statement said, for the be-
lief that the Improvement noted in
the past year would continue Col
lectlonS We're described as most sat
1stactory in almost all sections, and
Lhls was accepted as Indicating that
the farmers are getting on their feet
financially.
Wheat Farmer Not Prosperous.
Agricultural conditions o." the
whole" the @ta IN mt added. on
sections whicn on account of partial
crop failure, the low price of the
principal crop or scarcity OF labor are
not prosperous. These. of course, in
clude only a fractional part of the
total farming area. The fruit growers
and cattle raisers appear to be the
most unfortunate. The wheat farmer
on the whole has not had prosper
Gus year.
There is every reason. however. to
believe that this Improvement will
continue. The most encouraging part
Uf the report to the board is the tend
ency throughout the United States
to diversity farming. 1t is our belief
that diversification and cooperative
marketing furnish the only sound
basis for agricultural prosperity
Farm Loan Commissioner Cooper
summarized conditions in the twelve
land bank districts as follows:
|. New England states, New York
and New Jersey.-The Improvement has
been general. but high wages in in
dustries have resulted in farm labor
shortage. Conditions in the fruit and
potato growing areas are not satts-
factory. The tobacco crop was good
and market gardening was better
than normal.
ID, C.. surroundings Prosper.
g. Maryland. Delaware. Virginia. West
Virginia and Pennsylvania.-Gene
conditions are favorable. Prices for
farm products have advanced and
farmers are meeting theft obligations
promptly.
8. North Carolina. South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida.-General agri-
cultural conditions are better than for
the past three years In North caro-
lima the production of cotton, corn
and SOW beans was good, with a ia
rly of
a cotton crop of 40 per cent in excess
of last year. Conditions in northern
Georgia were improved. but in the
southern part of the state cotton pro-
duction was greatly reduced by boil
weeyil damage and excessive rainfall.
This same condition obtains in west
crn Florida. In the other states in
this district conditions are satisfac-
tory. ~
4 Ohio. Indiana. Kentucky and Ten
nessee.-A gricultural conditions have
materially improved. though the cost
of farm labor in industrial sections
Crops throughout the district have
been fairly good although there was
some boil weevil damage in Tennes-
see Crop diversification Is noticeable
throughout the area.
Cotton District Suffers.
s. Louisiana Mississippi and Ala
transformations are better than
wear ago, although cotton has suf-
fered severely from boil weevil and
unfavorable weather. The sugar and
rice situation is more favorable. La
bor is plentiful.
6. Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas
General conditions slightly improved
over a year ago. Prices and crop con-
ditionS, however, have combined to
hinder improvement. The large wheat
In
price, while a good corn crop in Mis-
souri, likewise brought only fair re-
turns. Arkansas produced only about
50 per cent of its normal cotton crop
boil weevil damage. Sections grow
ing fruit, soy beans and broom corn
show much more favorable situa-
tion.
I. Michigan. Minnesota, North Da-
kota and Wisconsin.-Agricul
and economic conditions generally
are satisfactory except in the north
west sections of Minnesota. and in
North Dakota, where wheat was seri-
ously damaged by black rust. Crops
such as fax, sweet clover, hay and
corn are excellent and farmers with
cattle, dairy cows, sheep and poultry
are prosperous.
Cattlemen Recover.
5. Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota
y
orally satisfactory except in the
northern portion of South Dakota,
where a poor quality of wheat mark
cd this years crop. The corn crop
was very good throughout the dis
trict, the western part reporting the
largest yield in many years, and it
was sold at good prices. Prices of
live stock, poultry and dairy products
likewise were satisfactory. Cattle
ranchmen are slowly recovering from
losses sustained in 1919 to 1922.
3. Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS conditions
have materially improved over last
year. The cotton section of New
Mexico is prosperous. Rain In many
sections of the district has broken
vides an opportunity for a new start
in many instances. Farmers complain
of the high cost of machinery. The
demand for loans has substantially
decreased
10. Texas.-The general situation is
sections of the state are prosperous
in spite of a decreased yield. A low
yield of wheat combined with low
prices disappointed the wheat-grow-
ing area. An inactive market and
low price have depressed cattle rails
ing.
Coast Conditions Vary.
IL. Arizona. California, Nevada and
Utah.---Conditions as a whole are not
as good as last year. The fruit men
of California are making no profit
and high freight rates are a heavy
tax on agriculture. The cattle ranch
men of Arizona are still in a bad con-