Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17
Farmers Stand to
Make Millions More
BY HARDEN COLFAx.

While 1t is much too early to at.
tempt to judge what the exact eco.
nomic status Of American agriculture
VIII be after the oncoming harvests
nave been gathered, it already is Ger.
tain that crops this year will bring
many millions Of dollars more into
the pockets of the farmers than thew
did last year.
At the same time it must be con.
ceded that the very conditions which
exist today in agricultural prices viii
serve to intensity the drive for a
process OF orderly marketing" The
nlgner prices now prevailing are not
oenehting the farmers as a whole,
excepting In anticipation of what the
new crops may bring, for the ma.
jority Of the growers dispose of their
products soon after they are harvest
ed. In such situations we'll managed
and strongly financed cooperative
marketing associations serve their
most useful purpose.
Hlgher prices, existing or in pros.
pect, Tor most OF the major crops of
the United States probably would
destroy much Of the strength back
OF such legislation as the McNary.
Haugen bill and turn attention toward
other plans to assist agriculture itself
In holding its crops for more gradual
marketing IL the higher prices would
benefit the farmers evenly. But dis.
tribution Of the higher prices in i'm.
mediate prospect Is not universal in
bringing larger net returns to the
farmers Of the country.
X X X r
The Crop-Reporting Board of the
Department of Agriculture last week
forecast. on conditions as of July l.,
the shortest corn crop in 26 years.
It Is perfectly obvious that 1900.
100000 bushels Of corn at 81 means
a larger aggregate return than a
5000, 900, 000-bushel crop sold at 60
cents bushel, and that thus the
corn growers, as a whole, will be
more prosperous. The fly in this
economic ointment Is that there will
be some farmers who will not have
any corn. or very little, to sell at
either 81 or so cents bushel this
year.
1t Is regarded by economists az an
exceedingly healthy sign that crop
acreage has been reduced this season.
as shown by the Government reports
within the last week. Nearly 1000 900
fewer acres are in crops this year
than last. Some Of this Is due to
the Mississippi Valley floods, but
much Is the. result Of deliberate cur
tailment Of planting by the farmers,
which, after all. Is the most effective
way to get away from overproduc-
ton, SO far as the human equation
can control crop yields.
\ X X X f.
Cotton. the greatest money crop"
Of the country, will be produced on
1874 per cent less acreage than last
season, when, with huge paintings
and favorable growing conditions, a
record crop Of 17,755,000 running
bales was ginned. II exactly the
same yields per acre were secured
this season, is, SOC, 900 bales would re.
sult--a large crop. Cotton now is
selling so per cent higher than the
low point Of last Fall, but most Of
the crop passed out Of the hands Of
farmers at the lower prices. Con.
sumption and exports have been
heavy. Indications are that the
carry.over in this country at the end
Of the cotton year July 81 will be
only slightly. IL any, heavier than
stocks q year ago, but the world
carry.over of American cotton prob.
ably will be considerably larger.
The wheat crop Mdicated is larger
than last years, but the Department
OF Agriculture predicts 'sas favorable
q wheat market situation FOR farmers.