Evening star., 1927-05-01

the greater part Of the county was
given over to beef production. but it
has given way slowly before the more
profitable dairy industry. The beef
farmer has little direct dealing with
Washington. He ships his stock to
Jersey City, with sales stopover agree
ment at Baltimore. Most Of his meat
finds it's way into the New York
market.
With beef runs wheat Wheat fields
are we'll scattered over the county,
but in the dairying districts they
are growing smaller. There hay crops
alfalfa and the like-are more essen
tial The wheat yield is exceptionally
good, up to 35 bushels to the acre.
1t is a money crop" for the beef
farmer. In the county's classification
of values wheat comes fourth. The
third crop, ranking directly after poul-
try, is corn.
In the eastern part of the country,
extending from Takoma Park north
through the Olney and Colesville dis
tricts, and interspersed with golf links
and country estates, is the apple
country-just now covered with
misty bridal veil of blossoms. The
apple once was one Of the chief
sources of the country's Wealth, but it
had diminished in Importance up to a
few years ago when some extensive
orchards were planted. With the or
chards go bees, which serve a double
purpose. They assist in the polleni-
cation Of the apple trees and bring
in a considerable revenue from honey.
High-Grade Tobacco.
Near Damascus the county has
small tobacco area where high grade
of leaf i9 produced. Most of the soil is
ill-f1tted for this profitable crop. The
soil also is not suitable for truck
farming. This profitable branch of
agriculture on the outskirts of a great
city has been left for the sandy soil
of Prince Georges and southern Mary
land. 1t cannot be carried on very
extensively on the heavy clay loan
upon which hay crops thrive so we'll
Montgomery is fortunate in the ac-
cessability Of its farms to market. OF
the total number, 213 are on concrete
roads: $50 on macadam roads, 157 on
gravel roads, 263 on improved dirt
roads, 925 on unimproved dirt roads,
and only So are without any roads
or with the merest cart paths leading
to them.
The farms are valued at $22 2,319 ,655.
One-third of them are entirely free
of mortgage or any other debt.an
exceptionally good record considering
the economic status of agriculture
throughout the country. In fact, it
would be difficult TO find anywhere
a more prosperous farming commu-
nifty. Eighty per cent of the farm
houses have radios, by means of
which their occupants can get the lat
IL IL, =.
the disposal of their produce. More
than rs per cent of them have tele-
phones.
II don't think there is a farmer In
Montgomery County without some
sort of an automobile" said o. w.
Anderson, county agent. COR a farm
hand either, for that matter.
20 Trunk Lines.
The average farm is of about 158
acres and requires use of consider
able machinery. This is becoming of
greater Importance as the problem of
farm labor becomes more acute. Ma
chinery, says Mr.. Anderson, must take
q, the place Of hands in all possible oper.
ations in order to insure profitable
! agriculture.
| Twenty-eight trunk lines by which
J '
/ Baltimore tap the county, These are
! all of concrete or macadam, and from
/ them a network of dirt roads, like
/ blood vessels, penetrate TO within
! reasonable distance of even the remOt
est farmhouse. The dairy farmer has
only to carry his milk cans to the
/ crossroads, where his neighborhood
| dirt road joins the macadam, and 1t is
| picked up by Washington trucks.
The county makes its own flour
The wheat market is almost entirely
local There are II flour mills tC
which the farmers take their grain
direct. Besides, there are six large
local wheat buyers, who ship in car
load lots to Chicago.
The apple orchard market is Wash
ington. Probably so per cent OF the
apples produced In Montgomery
County are consumed in the National
Capital A cooperative association
working under the county farm bu
reau. maintains an organization at the
Farmers Market which disposes Of &
great deal of the fruit crop.
Smaller fruits have not proved par
ticularly profitable in Montgomery
County The soil is Ill fitted for straw
berries, raspberries and blackberries
and the climate.is not ideally adapted
for peaches, Qutaces and the like. O