THE MODERN FARMER'S OPPORTUNITY H 



Prices of agricultural commodities are now on such a 

 high level that land owners may enter upon a period of 

 money making. It is not true, however, that farmers 

 are to any great extent responsible for the high cost of 

 living. Producers are not overpaid. High prices are 

 mainly due to business conditions for which people in the 

 rural districts have no responsibility. Consumers are 

 at the mercy of a system which involves unreasonable 

 expense and too many middlemen. 



It would be to the advantage of farmers, however, to 

 have the expense of handling agricultural commodities 

 lessened. They may help toward the attainment of this 

 end by adopting better methods of marketing than now 

 prevail. Consumers as well as themselves would benefit 

 by such a movement. 



This book is published in the hope of assisting farmers 

 to improve their position. There is a widespread and in- 

 telligent movement toward more diversified and intensive 

 farming, which I heartily endorse. By this system the 

 farm can be made to pay better than it does, because it 

 aims at greater production on each acre cultivated and 

 at meeting special market requirements. The one great 

 point in commercial farming is to produce those articles 

 which pay best. 



There is a continual and expanding market for numer- 

 ous products that are easily raised, and which, by their 

 very diversity, are a guarantee against failure. The 

 market has never been oversupplied with fruits, broilers, 

 mushrooms, honey, squabs, berries and the like. There 

 is the keenest sort of demand today all over the country 

 for extra nice butter, eggs and poultry. The need of 

 parsnips, beets, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, beans and 

 other kinds of vegetables is incessant, and in all of these 

 lines there is a profit far exceeding that gained from 

 large single crops or big dairies. 



