GEOGRAPHICAL PHASES OF FARM PRICES: CORN. 37 



TREND OF GROSS RETURNS TO THE ACRE. 



The correlation between geographic differences in price per bushel and the 

 number of bushels grown to the acre has been developed in table 8. 



It has been seen that cheapening transportation and marketing costs have 

 reduced greatly the price advantage of corn growers in States of insufficient 

 production, but that a corresponding increase has taken place in the surplus- 

 producing States. It was pointed out, on the other hand, that in the latter, 

 yields to the acre have generally remained stationary or declined, although 

 a marked improvement in j'ields is shown in the deficiency States. 



In combining these two elements it appears that the general average of 

 gross money values to the acre (price X yield) has increased, and so also 

 have the figures for each State — some slightly, others greatly ; but that, in 

 relation to the mounting United States average, either steadily dwindling or 

 rising ratios are shown. 



Comparing the progress of the States producing insufficient corn for their 

 needs with the advances in the United States average, the South Atlantic 

 division alone shows an increasing ratio of returns to the acre ; the North 

 Atlantic and East South Central divisions are about stationary compared to 

 the general level, and the Mountain and Pacific sections show a notable and 

 steady decline in such a comparison. 



With respect to the two surplus-producing divisions, the East North Central 

 States show a marked improvement in relative advantage as seen in the per- 

 centage column, but the West North Central States (with the single exception 

 of Iowa ) show declines more or less pronounced. Kansas, for instance, dropped 

 from 100 per cent to 68 per cent of the United States average. 



