Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-03-02
The 1923 Agricultural Outlook for Maryland

larger use of purebred rams il
the State.
Wool is in good demand at prices
not far different from a year ago
During recent months there has beer
an active demand for wool at firm
prices. Maryland sheepmen SHOULD
give closed attention to the produc
ton of clean, attractive feeces anC
to the efficient marketing of theil
wool clips.
Horses and Mules:
Common horses and mules are al
such low prices that there is no neeC
for a continuation of their produc
ton in Maryland. Strictly higl
class horses are sufficiently high il
price to justify the breeding of gooC
mares in those sections of the STATE
which furnish conditions favorable
to the rearing of young horses
Maryland farms will continue t.
need animals for farm work fol-
many years to come, and on many
farms more attention could well be
given to the selection and efficient
use of good work stock.
The Feed Situation.
Supplies of feed in Maryland, al.
though smaller than year ago, are
generally sufficient to meet demands
The prices of grains and by-produc:
feeds, due to supply and demand, are
likely to be somewhat higher than a
year ago.
Hay, especially that from legumes
is readily available at a price below
that of a year ago. The relative
price levels of hay and concentrated
feeds would seem to be favorable to
the utilization of larger quantities
of roughage than during 1927, other
conditions being equal.
Considerable savings in the pur-
chase of by-product feeds, can I'M
doubtedly be effected during the
feeding season if attention is given
to the market price of available
feeds in relation to their known
feeding value.
Poultry And Eggs.
The number of laying hens and
pullets in the United States on JAN
uary 1, 1928, probably was not much
different from that of January /,
1927. This, combined with the pres
ent low storage holdings of both
eggs and dressed poultry as COM
pared with last year indicates that
slightly better prices lhould prevail
during 1928, at least for the first
six months.
The increase in the number of
specialized poultry farms is continu-
ing, not only in Maryland but in
other poultry producing States as
well. This has resulted in a greater
volume of fresh eggs coming on the
market during the winter months,
and has tended to decrease, and will
probably continue to do so, the dis
parity between winter and spring
egg prices. Storage operators, how
ever, are putting into storage a
greater number of fancy quality
spring eggs, so that producers of
high quality eggs will probably find
a firmer spring market than has
heretofore prevailed.
Indications are that a fair de-
mand for baby chicks vii exist this
year. Prices for early broilers will
probably be higher than during the
corresponding period in 1927. Fowl
prices should continue good through
the fall market.
Maryland poultry raisers should
attempt to increase their returns
through economical production of
high quality eggs and the develop
ment of special trade outlets rather
than through ill-advised expansion
which may later bring on overpro-
duction.
Truck Crops.
White Potatoes:
Present indications are that un-
less farmers change their plans there
will be a substantial increase in the
acreage planted to potatoes this
year. Preliminary reports indicate
that farmers in the North Atlantic
and North Central States are plan
ming an increase of about Ia per
cent. Scattering reports from the
South indicate an upward tendency
but probably no material increases
in acreage except possibly in North
Carolina and Virginia.
The acreage of potatoes in the
United States is becoming steadily
more concentrated in the best pro-
ducing sections and on the farms
of those growers who have learned
modern methods and who raise an
acreage large enough to permit the
use of labor-saving machinery for
planting, spraying, digging, and
grading the crop. The quality of
potatoes used for seed is also i'm
proving at remarkable rate. This
year sufficient certified seed is avail
able to plant nearly a fifth of the
entire acreage of potatoes i'm the
United States, and an even larger
proportion of the total acreage will
be planted with potatoes grown from
carefully selected seed stock. Aver
age yields in the United States have
been increasing quite rapidly during
recent years. Prior to 1920 yields
were mostly below 100 bushels per
acre, but with average weather con-
ditions a yield of about ia bushels
per acre must now be expected. As
the increased use of improved seed
is also increasing the percentage of
the crop that is of marketable quail
ity it is evident that fewer acres
per capita are now required to sup
ply consumptive needs.