The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-11-05
Surrey Shows Minnesota
Farmers Condition Improved
(By Charles B. Cheney, Minneapolis
JournaD

a prosperous year in 1925. Financi-
ally their condition is much improv-
ed. Returns from some products are
less than last year, but from others
they are realizing more, and hqulda-
ton of farm obligations is proceed
ing at gratifying rate.
The farmers buying power is COM
ing back, which means everything TO
the manufacturer, the wholesaler ana
the retailer. Most mercantile hnes
are enjoying a decidedly better busl-
ness in this territory.
Farm lands once more are tlndlng
BUYERS after five years of a stagnan!lI
market, though current values still
mean heavy losses for those VINO
bought during the boom of 1919 and
1920. There is a decided "back TO
the land' movement among many
who were attracted to the cities by
high wages, but who have come TO
realize that the farm is a pretty gooo
place after all.
These conclusions are reached al
for tour of representative towns III
southern. western and central MIN
mesota. reaching into the Red KlVer
valley and across the North Dakota
border. They are borne out by s!a-
t;stics and by the Judgment OF MIL
neapolis business men.
Prices Better Than
oe rd;t;ons are far from ideal y.ett'
- oo,,rse. and there are factors WIN
VI Senressing influence in some SCI:
4;ous Rut the picture as a whole 10
better than any one "ouiu 1hon corn
pected two months ago, W. mined
and other fall crops seeme I'D been
nv drought and small gram ana a"o ~ in
a disappointment IN y 4So bnmper
nr;ces. Compared Win o tae lid is
crop of last year, the !'L .,,,ch het-
not impressive, but II Is ~ nra better
Ter than 1928. Prices
than pre-war levels. aooroed too
Many farmers VINO 49, way
deep in debt ever to nne NJ 'ii nressing
ont have been paying OH ~ and
obligations this year ana taS' ,bead
Dow are seeing daylight 40 had
ssMany accounts We thougnI We e the
have turned out to be gooo' ia,,eIv
verdict of bankers dealihs
VIII Tere are some significant tacts uh
do, The head of farm income tna' neip
ito explain the situation: M;nne-
Butter alone brougnt o m nnn
sofa producers $115,ooO'ooo
last wear, while this year an m
creased production is couplee
With butter fat prices l0 to 10
cents a pound higher than LOT
Improved dairy stock is bring
: inq farmers better net returns
, bv giving larger production
from the same number OF AMI
: Corn not only is yielding a
.. much larger crop but is far bet
! ter in quality than last year,
making it more valuable in spite
: of lower market quotations.
! Small grain except wheat IS
i lower in price, but averages a
good yield.
, Wheat and flax bring higher
! prices than last year, with a
smaller yield:
Potatoes, though turning out
less than average, are good
money crop this year with prlc-
es more than double those the
farmer got in 1924.
Poultry products are increas-
ing and prices holding about
the same as last year, egg and
poultry money forming a big
source of farm income.
Canning factories are more
important than ever as mar
ket for sweet corn, peas and
other lucrative crops.
Cattle and hog shipments are
heavier than last year and
prices are higher.
This years corn crop in Mlnneso-
ia came through wonderfully in spite
of the drought, and though Spotted"
with poor yields on light soil and
along the western border
of the state, the government estimate
gives a Minnesota crop of 145,595,-
900 bushels compared with Ill, 744,- I,
900. That does not tell the whole
story, for much of the corn last year
was soft and of poor feeding value.
This year nearly all the corn is fine
in quality. Price based on a shipping
quality of corn are rs cents at the
country elevator compared with S1.O5 K
last year, but considering the i'm.
proved quality this year that is not
a fair comparison. The crop this ,
year is worth fully as much, bushel
for bushel, as in 1924 in spite of the
market quotations, and there is 1t
more of it.
Plenty of Feed II
For Dairy Herds S
This good corn crop, coupled with /
increased production of alfalfa and /
. good hay crop, insures plenty of II
feed for dairy herds for the coming t
winter, and dairy farmers spending q
ess for mill feed, will have better t
net returns. is
Potatoes by government estimate
will produce 25,851 900 bushels in "
Minnesota this year, compared with a
"A, $4,000 bushels last year, but il
While in 1924 the price was so low b
t hardly paid to dig them, it has gone t
lp this fall to SO a hundred and d
promises to go higher. F
Farmers in parts of the state are v
,oing in heavily for poultry, andl
baby chick" hatcheries, turning out S,
undreds of thousands of infant il
hicks at setting" have done all
hriving business. TX
The movement ito diversity is "
trong. and is growing as progressive n