The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-12-23
FARM INCOME IN 1886 TOPS
!; 9BILLION DESPITE DROUTH;
/ PURCHASING POWER SCARS

Wallace figured the dTouth re-
duced production by one-fourth,
Nearly onc-third OF the nations
area was seriously affected.
There were l.l90 counties IN 20
states designated AS emergency
drouth counties. These contained
population Of more than TO-
100000 persons. -
Five entire states - Nebraska,
Oklahoma. Kansas. North Dakota
an dSouth Dakota--wcre declar-
cd emergency drouth areas. Only
four counties in Missouri escaped
that designation. In South Caro-
lima seven counties were except
ed and in Kentucky II were left
out.
The principal drouth area cx-
tended from the Rocky mountains
on the west TO the Mississippi riv-
or on the east, and from the Ca
madam border 10 central Texas,
and into half a dozen southeast
ern states reaching to the Allan
SUMNER WITHOUT RAIN
Weeks of soaring heat, unbrok-
en- bv rains from June TO Scptem-
ber and intrrSperScd by devaStat-
ing dust storms, took heavy toll
in crops. livestock and human suf-
ferinr, More than 100000 farm
persons were made dependent up
on federal relief. il exceeded in
its severity. if not in extent, the
disastrous 1884 drouth.
Agriculture officials said one
result of the drouth would be
revolution in farming methods IN
the so-called dry-iland states. The
government already has begun to
take hundreds Of thousands OF
acres out Of cultivation ami VIII
return them to grasses.
President Roosevelt, declaring
the drouth a national catastrophe,
created a commission headed by
Morris l.. Cooke, director of Ru-
raj Identification administration,
70 stud drouth resisting farm
ing methods and report recon-
mendationS to congress for legiS-
lation to further a long-range
program.
The Works Progress admins
tration and the ReStttlement ad-
gave employment,
loans and grants to approximate
ly 100000 stricken families at a
cost of more than $l00,000,0OO.
Drouth victims would compose q
city nearly the size Of Chicago.
FOOD SUPPLY ADEQUATE
Despite the second severe
drouth in three years, department
of agriculture economists said,
there will be no food shortage.
The supply for marketing will be
within 1 or 2 per cent of that oil
n yea rago. Wallace estimated.
Food prices, he said. still arc Is
to 20 per cent below the depres-
sion level.
The farmers purchasing power
was the highest in II years, the
bureau of agricultural economics
reported. In years Of greater in
come. prices farmers have had TO
pay for industrial products have
been relatively higher.
Cash net income was estimated
BY the bureau at S7,S00,000, a
gain of about 10 per cent over
1885 and so per cent over the
low point of the depression in
1882.
"Thcre have been marked eco
nomic gains in other directions"
C.. W. Kitchen, assistant chief Of
the bureau, said. "A reduction in
farm mortgage debt with the low
est interest rates on long term
loans in our history, rise Of
about IL per cent in farm real cs-
tate values since the depression
low and fewer foreclosures
FARM VALUES RISE
The value Of farm land and
buildings has risen from less than
S3l 900, 000,0O0 in 1888 TO more
than $4,000, 100000 this year,
Kitchen said. Farmers received a
return of 7.6 per cent on their
net capital investment in 1885 as
compared with "A per cent in
1884, the National Industrial con-
ference board estimated.
The outlook for agriculture in
1887 is favorable, Kitchen, said.
A 10 per cent increase in indus
trial production is in prospect and
world conditions have so improv-
cd as to indicate demands for
farm products, he said.
SURPRISES Of virtually every
farm product have been reduced
by the AAA, soil conservation and
two drouth years since 1888. Ex-