642 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



increased acreage of forage and grain crops which in rotation produce 

 farm manures, humus, and rest; enrich the soil, as with nitrogen 

 brought by legumes; and improve the mechanical condition of the soil 

 for all crops. In regions needing commercial fertilizers, nitrogen, 

 phosphorus, potash, and lime have been used more abundantly and 

 more intelligently, and on crops bringing better prices. 



FARMERS' NEW ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE 



A matter of great importance in its bearing upon the increased 

 value of farm lands is the new economic independence of farmers, 

 fundamentally growing out of their improved financial condition. 

 Farmers now occupy a strong economic position, founded upon the 

 tendency of the consumption of some important products to increase 

 faster than population does, and upon the tendency of the desires for 

 these products to increase faster than the production does, so that 

 with respect to these products consumption is close upon the heels 

 of production. 



-It may seem a matter of small consequence to mention poultry 

 and eggs as an instance, but it should be remembered that the price 

 of eggs has been high and growing higher for several years, because 

 consumers have wanted more eggs than have been produced. Butter 

 is another product that tends to underrun consumption. The highest- 

 priced butter in the world in its home markets, taking first and fancy 

 grades and ignoring specialties in other countries too small for notice, 

 is found in this country. With regard to milk and cheese also the 

 economic position has become stronger. 



The annual products of dairying, of fruit and vegetable raising, 

 and of poultry keeping aggregated nearly $2,000,000,000 in farmers' 

 hands in 1905, or three-tenths of the gross value of all farm products; 

 and these particular products belong to the class of those for which 

 there is a tendency of demand to be greater than supply. In the case 

 of none of these products is there a desired quantity satisfactory in 

 quality obtainable by consumers at moderate prices. The public is 

 underfed in the higher grades of these luxuries of the farm. 



Meat animals, too, are establishing themselves in a stronger posi- 

 tion in favor of the farmer, because of the tendency of population 

 increase to outfoot the increase of these animals; but this statement, 

 although true under natural conditions, may become subverted in its 

 application to this country by the prohibitive legislation of importing 

 countries. 



