8 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the multitude for the present, are in the long run disastrous 

 alike to consumer and producer. Few people seem to realize 

 what a severe interruption to agricultural production means; 

 that price on hogs below the cost of production drives many 

 farmers out of hog production; and, when the price takes an 

 upw^ard turn, it is not immediately possible for the farmer to 

 get back into the business again, even though he be inclined to 

 do so. What is true of hogs is true of all other animals and 

 crops. Already the sudden depression of the hog market the 

 past summer is having its effect in lessening the breeding of 

 hogs for next spring. In contrast to this, it will only be neces- 

 sary to recall the remarkable response of the country to the 

 guaranteed price on wheat, for, in this case, the farmers planted 

 in an unstinted way, feeling assured of a fair return; not that 

 we believe in guarantees, but only to show that if some definite 

 contract basis could be worked out whereby the farmers were 

 assured of a profit, there would be little doubt of there being 

 enough food produced. Not alone have food products been and 

 are scarce, but textiles of all kinds were never in so short sup- 

 ply. Cotton has reached a new high level, restricted planting 

 and insect damage being largely responsible for the short crop. 

 Wool, too, has remained high, and while sheep have increased 

 in America to a considerable extent, the world-wide number 

 has decreased, and the demand for wool products is still far 

 beyond the visible supply. 



Very few countries of the world report farmers as being un- 

 usually prosperous, owing to the prevailing high prices. Those 

 that do so report are the smaller countries w^here agriculture 

 has been and is largely conducted on the one-man farm basis, 

 and therefore more or less independent of outside labor. 



This country as a whole has produced enormous crops of all 

 kinds of products, valued in dollars and cents higher than any 

 other year's production. Yet adverse conditions have had a 

 tendency to reduce production in many places, as severe 

 droughts in the northern wheat area; too much rain in eastern 

 United States; and heavy insect damage in certain other sec- 

 tions. Favorable winter weather conditions were general over 

 all the country, although many sections reported severe frost in 

 spring, with consequent late plantings. 



