Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01

brought % per cent increase In acre.
age in four years.
growers, responding to high prices
jumped their production upward from
10000 tons to 10000 tons. Then came
the war and war prices. The response
was to boost the raiSin output to 225,0 600
tons. A big surplus was left on the
vines. During the season Just closed
we have noted the vast efforts of the
Grape Control Board to bring about
orderly marketing" of the large 1890
crop, so as to prevent price collapse.
Surplus Depresses Price.
But in spite of all ef1erts at a wider
and more orderly marketing of the
$1,000 carloads. the price finally be-
came severely depressed. The crop was
too big. The markets could not absorb
such large quantity. It was surplus
production which was the basic diffi-
Guilty. Turn now to highly perishable
crop-peaches. Carlot shipments of
peaches increased 100 per cent in six
years, which is an increase far beyond
any expansion OF consumer demand.
Thus, in 1920, the carlot shipments
were $4,000 cars; In 1926 they were
$1,000 cars.
The year 1925 was the year Of over
whelming calamity to peach growers,
not because the marketing was diff
ferent from the preceding years, but
because the production was too large
for the consumers. Peaches had to
compete with other fruits-apples,
pears, plunns, apricots, prunes, oranges.
WatermelonS and grapes.
Said a Southern farm paper in 1927,
concerning the peach situation, UNLESS
heroic efforts are made to stop the COM
mercial planting of trees for a few
years, unless we weed out the old and
defective trees and strive to produce
and market scientifically only the best
quality product. last years troubles
will be repeated and magnified."
Examples could be given, almost
without limit, of production of big sur
pluseS, due to an increased acreage.
These SURPRISES, unlike the SURPRISES
due to weather, are within the immedi-
ate control of the farmers. However,
as long as production is blind there
will be recurring SurpluSes and Short
ages, and corresponding fluctuations in
the price, the farmer Is whipSawed in
the markets, and blames the market
rather than his blind production for
it. At the present moment we have
over-expansion of the wheat and cot
ton acreage, of sugar beetS, citrus fruits,
poultry and many other crops. This
condition constitutes blind production,
disorderly production, anarchy on the
farm.
Farm Journals Point Way.
The 500 farm papers in the country
have been pointing out this situation
for many years now. The State agri-
cultural colleges have likewise devoted
much time and attention to this prob
lem. So have various other agencies,
particularly during the last 10 years.
AS result of these combined efforts
much progress has been made in formu-
lating and carrying out agricultural
production programs.
A careful canvass of the United
States shows at least 40 specific at
tempts to formulate distinct county,
regional or Statewide programs of
production. These beginnings show
clearly trend toward better planned
and co-ordinated production. A few
typical cases may be cited.
One of the earliest of these programs
was worked out by Wisconsin in the
year 1922. it was a notable plan, be-
cause 1t looked ahead so years, and
covered the States major agricultural
interest, namely, dairying. The plan
WIS the outcome of much preliminary
wprk on the part Of the state College
Continued on Third rage.)