Abstract

Finance

The very interesting figures just given out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, indicate that the nation's principal farm crops this year reached a new high record in value. On the basis of prices received by farmers as of December 1, these crops show a total value of $12, 272,412,000. Should this promise be fulfilled, the total production of the farms this year will represent a valuation $614,380,000 greater than the previous record year, the increase in acreage being 365,895,722 acres. There can be little doubt that the U.S. farmers constitute a very prosperous class of business men. They are enjoying luxuries, which they never had before. The situation is extraordinary in that although the world war has ended, the rest of the world stands in urgent need of American foodstuffs and food supplies. The probability is that the export demand for these supplies will show an immense increase as soon as the restoration of ships to trade purposes makes it possible for American exporters to ship their supplies in quantities sufficient to satisfy the foreign demand.