Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-15
B|G'COMPET|T|0N
SEEN IN FARMING
Growers Using Every Turn
and Twist of Their Trades
to Better Selves.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
cial Dispatch to The star.

NEW YORK, June 14.-American
agriculture for the remainder OF this
wear will be in the throes OF bitter
connection. Not only are the Amerl-
can and Canadian group growers
struggling vigorously for supremacy
but the Spring wheat and the WIN
ter wheat belts are competing strong
ly for markets.
The corn States are using every
turn and twist of the live stock and
grain industries to their own beneft
and to the discontinue of their COM
petitors. The fruit growers from
Southeast to Northwest and the potato
growers from Maine to Idaho are bat
Ting for territory control of markets.
The Texas cotton growers are CIV
ing planters in Georgia, MISSISSIPPI,
Alabama and the Carolinas a tough
battle In eight years Texas and
Oklahoma have increased cotton
acreage from 100000 acres to 23..
900, 900. with a possible production OF
over 5000 900 bales. 1t is facts Ike
these that make the farmer largely
imperivous to appeals to curtail his
acreage.
Treated as Family.
Bankers, financiers and economists
who recommend this undoubtedly wise
plan of restricting production to con-
sumption have been treating the farm
ers Of the country as one big family
unit. Instead they are split into
groups, and the groups into individ-
uals, all fighting vigorously against
other groups and individuals. 1t Is
difficult, therefore, to make each see
the advisability Of a course of action
the first result Of which will be to
benefit an adversary.
The clearer headed agriculturists
are treating competition just as the
manufacturers treat it. That is, they
are cutting costs by the use of i'm
proved methods and machinery, by
conserving manpower and by effect
ing savings from products once re-
garded as worthless.
Not only are the cotton growers
this year using labor saving ma
chinery in cultivating the crop, but
they now have a mechanical cotton
picker which it is declared will be
extensively used this Fall in addi-
ton to the shedding method of har-
vesting cotton. Also fertilizer prices
have been advantageous and the use
of chemical fertilizers promises to
help the growers materially. But
the fertilizer industry itself is in
danger of overproduction.
Corn Farmer i'm Same Boat.
The corn farmer is perhaps in
somewhat the same danger as the
cotton farmer this season. Some OF
the corn growers are meeting the
situation not only with improved
methods and machinery, but by in
tensive use Of byproducts. The include
lumber, paper, industrial alcohol,
rayon and other products. Rayon is
in keen demand at present. Some of
the largest rayon manufacturers are
making a strong drive to secure the
use of their product by men. This is
being done by advertisements to en-
courage the use Of rayon Innings
in mems clothing and overcoats.
It is declared that the making from
corn stalks of pulp from which
lumber is manufactured adds a posi-
BILE income of $50 an acre to corn
lands, OF which 500 would be net to
the farmer.
There is. no apparent. doubt that
Congress next December will be
asked to raise the tariff on raw sugar
and black strap molasses in the in
terests Of the corn grower. With a
slight added protection against the
Cuban product. the manufacture OF
denatured alcohol and corn sugar
would be profitable for the American
farmer.
Experts now are working on the
utilization of straw from the wheat
fields OF the West. A plant at st
Joseph, Mo, is manufacturing insu-
lating board from straw. The plant
has a capacity of 100000 square feet
a day and the board is said to be
particularly effective as an insula-
ton against heat and cold.