The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-01-17
Somerset County Agricultural News
Maine Crop Report for 1929 Shows
Potatoes First I'm Value

Department of Agriculture, said
Friday that the item of most interest
to Maine farmers about their crops
Of 1923 is that the potato crop has a
larger farm value than any other
crop.
And the value per acre of pota-
toes, s1S0.60, Is more than double
that Of any other crop and more
than double what 1t was in 1922, =
continued Mr.. White.
Hay, In point of total value
takes second place, oats third. and
apples fourth.
"The aggregate value Of the prin-
cipal crops on the basis of Deem
Der prices, was SCI .835. log, compared
with $37,8lS,269 in 1922 and SCI ,S43.-
270. the average of 1892. Potatoes
alone account for most of this gain.
their total value in 1923 being $22,-
1894 400 compared with 81, 300 $50,
in 1922 and $27444, 144, the average of
1892. Potato acreage in 1923 was
$4,000 acres compared with $4,000
in 1922 and the five year average of
10000. However, production was
81, $4,000 bushels in 1923 compared
with the revised figures to 25,245 900
bushels in 1922 and 26,644800, the
average of 1882. The increased
value is due, also. to price per bush
81 of 10 cents in 1923 compared with
40 cents last year and $103, the five
year average.
''ln production and value hay
fuctuates much less than potatoes
Hay production in 1923 was $4,000
tons compared with 1,541000 in 1922
and 1885 the fve-year average.
Its total value was $21 $4,000 in 1923
and $20.1S7. 900 in 1922.
Although oats do not leave the
farm in large quantities they are an
important feed crop for home use
and despite rumors of western COM
petition. the crop persists.
Production in 1923 was 4,125,0 900
bushels compared with 4560,000 for
the preceding year and the five
year average of 4,906.400.
Mature sometimes takes a hand
and the low temperatures of 1917-1S
went long way towards eliminating
the neglected apple trees. True,
there were important losses of COM
mercial apple trees, but new setting
and better care of orchards can over
come this. Production of Maine ap-
pies has decreased steadily since 1917,
the decrease being greater in the
non-commercial grades than in the
commercial grades. Although the
1928 crop of 100000 bushels is near
ly double the 1,250,0O0 bushels of
1922, 1t is below the fve-year aver
age of 2,767, 500 bushels. This refers
to the entire crop which was valued
at $2,20S, 600 in 1928 and $1,338 900 in
1922. while the flve-year average va
lue was $3,072, 036.
THAT part of the crop, rated as
commercial was 425,000 barrels in
1929 valued at $1148,000, compared
with $4,000 barrels, valued at 1854,
900 in 1922, while the five-year av-
erage production was 100000 barrels.
valued at $1,296,840.
Sweet corn as a cash crop Is next
in value. being worth $915,258 to the
farmers in 1923. and $7S3,750 in 1922,
compared with the flve-year average
OF $1,125,205. Acreage, production
and prices of this crop in both 1922
and 1928 were below the fve-year av-
erage. Conditions last spring SEEM
ed more encouraging but the season
proved unfavorable and about 20 per-
cent of the planted acreage failed to
make crop. In value per acre,
sweet corn stands next to potatoes
while dry beans comes third.
1.-THE less important crops, barley
buckwheat. wheat and corn for grain,
appear to be decreasing, because
they cannot return a sufficient profit
Corn for silage tends to hold its own
in close relation with the number of
cattle. This crop and hay are the
ones that dairymen find they can best
afford TO raise in New England food
feed
ION the whole, the farmers of
Maine are better, satisfied with their
returns than they were year ago.
One hears more reports OF hard times
from those types of farming conduct
ed on too small scale or with too
much hired labor, or whose products
are in poor demand.
"The most encouraging reports
come from those types of farming
scientific information, seek out ways
to cut the cost of production and
recognize that profitable marketing of
their products is equally important
with producing them In one coun-
ty, it is the potato grower, in an
other a dairyman or a sweet corn
farmer, or apple grower. But from
whatever source the gist of these re-
ports is the application Of careful
thought to the business.
THE number of work horses has
for some years been decreasing about
two percent annually and the rate of
decrease is higher for colts. Milk
cows, toe, are again decreasing one
or two percent annually while the de-
crease among young meat cattle is
more than twice as much. Sheep and
swine too, show steady decrease the
past few years although the num-
bers rose temporarily during the
World War"
Wellington Grange Installation
Wellington Grange met January IL