Evening star., 1932-07-17
Encouraging Trend
In Farm Products
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

The sustained rise In the prices of
farm products during the past fewweeks
has greatly encouraged the observers Of
business trends here and Is bringing
rising note of cheer into the agricultural
press of the country.
Reports this week to the Department
CT Agriculture on general farm condi-
tions note an upward price swing during
the first half of July, with live stock
leading the advance. This rise, after
frmness in June. has been accompanied
/ by optimistic messages pouring in TO
the department from widely separated
parts of the country At the same time
cablegrams are coming to the Depart
nent of Commerce from representatives
abroad telling of short farm crops in
the Old World.
The editors and writers Of the farm
papers who are expressing themselves
cheerfully and hopefully do not empha-
size definite signs of improvement.
They just feel better, and that feeling
in itself. Government officials think, Is
worth great deal.
While not willing to be quoted di-
rectly, lest they be accused Of undue
optimism, officials at the Department OF
=
ties on farm conditions give 1t as their
opinion that the hopeful tone is juSti-
fed. At the department it was said
that probably more than 100000, 900
has been added to the wealth of the
farmer by the increased prices
During the past month cotton, live
stock, especially hogs, and butter have
advanced, and even grains, while rather
dull, have been steady. A reduction Of
9i2 per cent in the acreage Of cotton
planted at home July l. compared with
that OF last year, as stated by the
Crop Reporting Board, makes this the
smallest since 1922 Probably for the
first time in history the American
farmer is rather glad that the weather
Is favorable to the boil weevil because
this will mean a further reduction of
output below the unusually heavy pro-
duction of last year.
Even some of our agricultural exports
arc doing very well. For example.
fruits are being shipped in about twice
as large quantities as in pre-war days.
The fruit crop prospects in Europe
have been materially reduced by un-
favorable weather
While hog production Is returning
dividends to the American farmer, ex-
perts point to what they call the be-
ginning of a downward trend of hog
production in Europe. Foreign repre-
sentatives of the Department Of Com
merce are reporting reductions Of 5
per cent to 10 per cent in the indi-
Gated world output of this product.
The advance of hog prices, in the
opinion of agricultural experts, has
been one Of the most remarkable
features of business since the stock
market crash in the Fall of 1929. In
April, prices were at the lowest level
since 1896-$3.40 a hundredweight as
compared with S625 a year ago Top
sales in the past week reached $5.55.
During the month of June the live
stock market was the strongest feature
Of all agricultural markets in the
country. The question is, will the
prices be sustained? c. D. Denman,
member of the Farm Board represent
ing the livestock growers, believes they
will.
The bettered tone has now COM
municated itself also to the packing
industry. While 1t is too early as yet
TO forecast what influence the i've
weeks of advancing hog prices may
have on the finances of the packing
companies, there Is more cheerfulness
among those interested in livestock .,
food than has been evident for many
weeks. The securities of the leading
packing companies have reflected this
in prices on the exchange
Finally, there are words Of cheer
from the Cotton Sterilization Corpora
ton Of the Farm Board, which assures
us that it can sell, during the next
crop year, 650000 bales of cotton with
out so much as ripple on the market
and with no depression of prices what
ever" The board also declares that
sales Of wheat and legislation for free
disposition of the grain to the needy
have now brought the cash wheat
supplies Of the Grain Sterilization
Corporation. available for sale, down
to somewhat less than 100000 900
bushels.