White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-02-28
CROP and PRICE
PROSPECTS FOR 1890
E. c. DURDLE, County Agent

Careful study of production as
compared to forecast through the
Agricultural Outlook Service shows
that the great majority of cases
the production has been close to the
forecast. A. great number of farm
ers are giving attention to Outlook
material each year. The Outlook for
the various crops, as published in the
recent Bulletin received from the
u. S. Department of Agriculture is
largely summarized below.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Dairynen face .period of read
iustment. An annual increase OF
about / per cent in milk-cow num-
bers is necessary to increase produc-
ton sufficiently to Ialance increasing
demand, but the Number was in
creased per cent in 1929. The num-
Der OF heifers, 8 per cent greater than
year ago, is sufficient to cause still
further increases in COW numbers
in 1890. Although the under
lying situation is not as bad
as would appear from current
butter prices, the duration of the
period of readjustment will de-
pend partly on the promptness with
which producers adjust their methods
to meet the situation, by close Gull
ing out their old OF producing
cows, and by either marketing lar
ger quantity of milk in the form Of
veal or, in the beef sections, allowing
more calves to run with the cows.
With the present lower butter prices.
dairy COWS will be fed less purchased
grain this winter. Unless dairy herds
are closely culled and more of the
less desirable heifers sent to slaugh-
ter, there will be, further increase in
the number of milk Cows during 1890
and 1881.
Over longer pesiod the general
dairy outlook is unfavorable because
of the large number of heifers now
on hand and being raised, and be
cause of the probability of marked
upward trend in beef production dur
ing the next five years or more. There
is an increasing number of dual-pur-
pose cows which will be MIXED when
ever the price of butter is sufficiently
high and the price OF meat is suffici-
emily low. On the whcse conserva-
tive policy in regard to raising dairy
calves is called for. Probably more
calves were raised in 1928 and 1929
than can be raised to advantage
hereafter. Dairymen who have to
buy cows will probably be able to buy
requirements at less cost in two or
three years than they can now.
POULTRY AND EGGS.
An increase in production Of chick
ems in 1880 for the country as whole
over the production of 1929, either for
eggs or meat, viii tend to reduce
prices of poultry and eggs below the
levels of recent years.
The volume of egg production dur
to exceed that of last year by
an amount corresponding some
what to the increase Of about
S per cent in the number of
chickens. Larger prospective egg pro-
duction indicates that prices lower
than last year are probable, although
the demand for storage should be
good and the volume of spring con-
sumption should be fully as large as
last year.
With an increase OF 10 per cent in
number of chickens raised in 1929,
with marketing col eespondingly heav-
Ter, and with greatly increased cold
storage holdings, poultry prices during
the first half of 1880 will probably
remain below levels prevailing dur
ing the corresponding period of 1929.
In case of an improving business sit
uation in the latter part of the year,
the demand for poultry should be fair,
CONTINUED on page four)