Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1919 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Afent Stewart Learning.

A DEPARTMENT OF FARM WELFARE CONDUCTED BY COUNTY AGENT LEAMINC. The folowing editorial clipped from the Chicago Tribijne deserves the attention of every farmer, as it outlines the general policy of the great farmers’ organization movement which is going on at the present time. “GETTING DOWN TO BRASS TACKS" “Scorning all the methods that suggest clasß prejudice and doubtful loyalty, the Illinois Agricultural association has taken a pew grip on farm affairs with the appointment of a SIO,OOO a year secretary, a prospective membership of 40,000 and a sufficient treasury balance. President S. J. Sconce has made this statement, which should be enlightening and encouraging: ‘We are going into this thing not to fight anybody nor to antagonize, but to play the game fair and square, and take care of the rights of the farmer.’ This seems a fair declaration from citizens who do not propose to let down the bars for bolshevism or any of the untamed radicalism affiliated with it or giving it aid and comfort in the United States. The association proposes, by honest use of its means, to get the best there is out of life, debming honesty and square dealing the remedy for most of the social evils. D. C. Thompson, secretary of the •association, perceives that food'prices must come down. He is eager to see that they do not fall out of proportion to the prices of manufactured goods. One of the first demands of the association will be a demand for protection against cheap Aregntine corn and for sustained hog prices during March. The farmers are not seeking to revolutionize. They are seeking safeguards. They are determined that the United States is a whole nation, composed of a whole people, and shat classes must be set up to the injury o>f the whole people. They are boosting for American and Americanism.” Cost of Production Figures Needed. In the past two years the economics of farming have required but little attention as the demand for food products has been practically unlimited and the principal problem of the farmer has been to raise the crops, for which he has received satisfactory prices. As normal conditions are restored and price levels tend downward, there is a possibility that the prices received for certain farm products will fall below the cost of production and the farmer may find that the more he farms the lower is his net return. The economic theory is that the marginal producer sets the prices. If prices exceed the cost of production men will take up.the business who under less favorable markets cannot make a living at it. Land which normally will not pay for the laboj* involved in raising a,crop will be farm-

ed when prices are high enough to cause it to show a profit Such operations add to the supply and cause prices to fall. In re-adjusting his operations, however, the farmer is greatly hundicapped by a lack of information as to the productions costs of various farm ly asked an increase in the price of products. A committee of milk producers from near Indianapolis recentmilk on the fact that the price was leas than the cost of production. The arbitrator asked the question, “What does it cost to produce 100 pounds of milk?” and no one could give a figure. “When you come back with definite information as to what it costs you to produce the milk, I am ready to adjust the price to give you a reasonable profit but I cannot take any action before that time,” was the decision of the arbitrator. Our farmers cannot be certain of a fair price for their products until they can show what constitutes a fair* price. As soil, land values and climatic .conditions vary in different parts of the country, production cost problems must be local in their application. Perhaps no one factor will haye more to do in placing the farming operations of Jasper county on a sound financial basis than a general movement towards the keeping of farm accounts.' Co-operating with the Better Farming Association, eighty of our farmers began this work last season. If eight hundred-more would begin the first of next March, we would see more wonderful changes in farm management during the next few years. Will Conduct Lime Trial. In order to determine the relative values of burnt lime, ground limestone and no liime at all, Henry Schmidt, of Walker township, expects to conduct a trial on -his farm near Knirnan this spring. The factors that will be considered in this trial will include the initial cost of the material, the cost of aplication, the value of the crop produced and the residual effect on succeeding crops. Brusnahan Brothers,* of Gillam township, expect to conduct similar ‘trials on the Francesville prairie. Stock Men ’ Gain Honor*. John R. Lewis was a heavy purchaser at the J. Crouch & Sot) Hampshire sale at Lafayette last week. Mr. Lewis secured some of the top sows of the sale. Wood Brothers, of Marion township, returned from Delphi last week where they purchased a Spotted Poland China sow of unusual merit. This animal is the granddaughter of “Helen Gould,” the dam of four Grand Champions at the' National Swine Show at Omaha. Jesse Snyder, of Rensselaer, was awarded first and second on his Barred Plymouth Rock hens at the Lafayette show last week, and fourth on cock. Shorthorn Breeder* to Meet. Secretary John R. Parkison announces that the annual meeting of the JaspeT County Shorthorn Breeders’ association will be -held at the court house in Rensselaer February lfith, at 2 o’clock. ‘The organization is closing % very prosperous year and the purpose of Jbe meeting is to straighten out all affairs and. make a comprehensive plan of work for the coming year.