Hi ri A r h iv D m n s to c , c e oc u e t

Do not assume conte nt refle cts curre nt

i n ifi kn wl i i r r i s t o d ol s o a t s . c e c e ge , p c e , p c ce

l l “ WIN 1 1 33 6

P A R“. 1 95 8

V o l. 4 2 , N o . 4

A gric ultural Marketing S ervice

". D S , epartment of A gric ulture

H ave "e u S ee n F ace s ? A mo ng th e Pine s

Have you ever thought of a pine tree ? having a face Fact is , some m ay have two faces .

’ Of course that s nothing new to you folks who live in areas where there are

tall and stately pine trees .

Perhaps they were not faces to y ou . Maybe to the casual observer they were merely bald spots where someone had chopped off part of the bark on the ? pine trees . How many faces in a crop W ’ e ll come back to that . Mean ’ while , here s something else to think about :

W u " r ith hack and sq ee e bottle , spi al

- d gutters and two hea ed nails , the plas tic surgeons of the forest chip and

’ scrape t hose faces . That s how we get

' — ’ gum naval stores maybe they re tur pentine and resin to you— the o ldest segment of the $ 1 00 million naval

i stores ndustry .

u Cent ries ago, the naval stores ih d ustry got its name by supplying tars and pitches for calking ships and th treating e rigg—ing of wooden sailing vessels . But the industry has changed

’ with the times . Today s soap operas , advertising a new liquid detergent con a r u taining a n val sto es prod ct , keep

i u the. nd stry and the people who run it u optimistic and "o ng at heart . The

4 5965 0 industry has come full circle from an of that revolution will give you a clue ’ ’

old tar s quarters to my lady s dressing to . , the answer

table . In the gum naval stores industry—an

End - uses of naval stores are part of agricultural operation—living trees are

modern living . "ou walk on colorful systematic ally chipped or streaked at m e o f , . linoleu , enj oy the she n o p lishes regular intervals To seal and heal the

and , ax n waxes , varnishes rel as the rub wou d , the trees exude gum , which is ber tires on your car smooth out the channeled into cups attached to the eci te h o road ahead and app a t e prote . r e r r — trees Tu p ntine and the osin are tion and the glow of paints all be separated by distillation .

' r n cause of this industry . Th e ap e o p Wh en vast areas of virgin pine trees wh ich this story is p rinted contains were available , production of gum naval rosin and your insecticide may include stores provided an excellent outlet for

a product from naval stores . s E surplu labor . very tree had to be

chi pped each week . The repeated Turpe ntine a nd Rosin chippings , each cut above the previous " nd one , formed the face . Virgin a In the c oloni al perio d , turpentine yearling refer to first and second year was considered the maj or prod uct , ros

operations . A dry face is one that fails - a in only a by product . Ti mes ch nged

to o . 1 pr duce gum and rosin has been the No . industry

product for the past several decades . The gum was gathered about every 3

A n f , promisi g outlet ades in time , but weeks and a tremendous amount of r — es earch imagination in a test tube hand labor was required . Simple hand — - - for . fire gives rise to hope the future tools , two wheeled carts , a wood d “ still , homemade containers and fur Not too long ago , paint was the pri "

W . - nishings ere the other necessities - mary end use of turpentine . On the Streaks on the trees were deep and j ob painters still use large quantities , “ " but in recent years it has be come an gum was caug ht in boxes cut at the important chemical starting material base of the faces . i in mak ng resins , insecticides , syn Almost every operator processed his oil thetic pine , camphor , and other own gum in a fire still and sold turpen

. products ti ne and rosin . Th e quality produced

- by odd stills was variable , p ack ag There was a time , also , when the principal us e of rosin Was to make yel ing was poor , and trees were damaged

by the boxes and deep streaks . low laundry soap . Today its maj or “ “ uSes are in sizing o-r impregnating various types of paper and paperboard , S e cond Growth in chemicals , and in providing proteo v s v ni ti e coating , such as ar shes , As the stands of virgin forests were i o . a enamels , and p a nts Soap now cut over a nd second growth trees counts for only a small part of total f worked , the number and width o um rosin cons ption . streaks were reduced and cups attached ’ Th i to catch the gum . s was a maj or But change isn t limited to use. A continuing revolution h as been in break from the past . Change ag ain . progress in production methods and m i In t h e past 20 years , the gu ndus sources for the past 2 to 3 decades . try has been revolutioni zed . Research Have you figured out yet how many led the way to the develop ment of

' faces in a crop ? No ? Well , th e story modern central distillation plants with

Th e Agri c u ltural S itu a Th e Agric ul tural S ituation is a monthly public ation of Ma ket n S erv c e "n ted S tates D e th e Agric ul tural r i g i , i tion is sen t free t o a m t D Th e t r Wash n on . C. in , artment of A r c u tu e , r p p g i l , i g p ing of this publication h as been approved by th e livest o c k an d ric e re o rt B d anua 16 , p p Director of th e Bureau of th e u get (J ry ,

S n e co 5 cents subscr t on r ce 50 c ents a ear, i gl py , ip i p i y i ers n c on n ec tio n with th eir fore n 70 c ent s a ab e in c ash or mone order to th e ig , p y l y ov r ment Pr nt n n t D c uments . 5 . G e n S uperinte den of o , " i i g

r o C. e r tin wo rk Wash n ton 25 D . p g . Ofiic e, i g , - "es gum cleaning equipment . Producers , the old order changeth in now sell gum to around 20 central stills . naval stores . First , hand labor gum

Products and packaging have been naval stores , then mechanized steam

' " d istilled rod uc tion standardized p , now byproducts

naval stores . Does this complete the With these changes have come bark ‘ cycle and do we start over again ? Th e chipping and acid treatment of the fl w answer is in the test tube . streaks . This continues the o of gum at least 2 weeks . One worker can At present , adaptable naval stores now chip twice as many trees as before . products may be facing another revolu ionar Furthermore , bark chipping leaves the t y change in consumption . Pine

- trees unimpaired . oil a natural product of the steam dis tilling industry and also produced synthetically from turpentine —is an G um a nd Stea m Ro s in important ingredient of a new liquid

G um rosin prod uction is down to detergent . TV advertising , naturally u i around drums annually . Com eno gh , procla ms its virtues . petition began to be felt in the late r ’ Dete gents are big business and this 1 920 s when production of steam - dis new product could divert turpentine tilled rosin exceeded drums . from its established uses to the produc This segment of the industry utilized tion of synthetic pine oil . If that the tremendo us supply of resin - satu u happens , soap wo ld again be a maj or rated pine stumps and wood left on out outlet for naval stores . But this time over land " The wood , obtained cheaply turpentine would be used instead of or merely in exchange for the removal rosin . m m of stu ps from a field , was oved to ia central plants where naval stores prod Change again . The naval stores d ustr l ucts were extracted by solvents and y would be ost without it . separated and refined by steam distil One thing is sure . Research has lation . taken some of the toil out of the ih dustr Large laboratories worki ng around y and it may bring new faces in the clock succeeded in improving prod the future .

nets and developing new o utlets . Here , How many faces are ther e in a crop ? m m ’ now , are echanized naval stores fro There are That s the number ln - - m the way stu ps and wood . the average family can work during a

u Production of steam d istilled rosin year .

r an rose steadily to a high of Joh n J . Mo g m 1 dru s in 95 5 . It has dropped slightly A ric t g u l umi Estimates Divisi on , AMS since . The supply of virgin pine stumps is being exhausted and plants are mov ing to outlying areas , but significant N av al S to res Re orts production is expected to continue for p the next few years . Reports on naval stores are re

In the last decade or so , the produc leased regularly by the Crop Re

- tion of paper from southern pines has porting Board . grown by leaps and bo unds . In proc r Statistics oh production and pro essing the wood pulp , the tu pentine in duction plant stocks of turpentine , the wood is volatilized and condensed rosin and miscellaneous products i and the resin sap on fied , coagulated , are released monthly . Tall oil rosin and skimmed off . At first these by data are issued quarterly . The ah products were used only as fuel for the , nual report includes consumption u t rpentine had an obj ectionable odor . and stocks at other locations . — But test tubes changed all this . Pulp Naval stores operators like crop wood is now the leading source of tur reporters—are voluntary coopera

pentine and the resins and oils are used tors . Naval stores reports are made to make tall oil rosin and other useful directly to Washington , D . C . rather than to the respective State Stat products . Production of tall oil rosin n isticia s . reached drums in 195 7 . It may

reach a year . still we are sometimes th e goat despite our f o e e f rt to mak that point, clear .

Another thing to consider in u sing the crop report is the fact that some times the report itself will have an

‘ h final effect on t e outturn . The most , obvious of such reports are the ones

’ that give farmers intentions to plant , e for i " or to br ed sows farrow ng in some What strange t ricks vani ty will some future period . Not times play with memory . long ago " Th e my wife and I were regretting that main obj ect of these reports is some 25 years ago we didn ’ t buy a cer to g ive the farmer a chance to change

tain building lot for what now appears his plans if it appears wise to do so . We try to make this point very clear in to be a very low price .

all such reports but still , once i n awhile ,

. i In trying to protect my van ty and someone forgets that and b lames their u I exc se myself for the mistake began condition on what they term an error “ ‘ to remember a lot of later develop in the estimate . ments that were not a ctually in the A Breim er picture at that time but seem very clear month or so ago , Harold y ,

. We now finally felt better when we in an article in this publication , sug quit trying to find excuses and admitted gested that you read some of the reports to ourselves we had j ust made a mis written by the analysts who do the

take and let it go at that . situation reports . I have s aid before , and I would like to em hasize i t again N o one likes to make mistakes but p ,

- when one is made there is a tendency that that is an awfully good suggestion . to th ink a f b ck and try to figure out Of course , your voluntary reports be why . Here it is necessary to very provide basic information used in these careful becaus e it is j ust human nature analyses but there are many other fac

' to look for an excus e as we did or find tors that have to be considered s o that h o somet ing , or s meone , to blame . thes e reports can give the wh ole pic Th ‘ i l . e A r cu In our work we run into this prob ture articles you read in g tural S ituation on crops and livestock lem from several different angles . For x i and prices can be invaluable guides to e ample , every once in a wh le some on ' r o you in making decisions in y our busi e . blasts a c op f recast or a predic

ness . And by and large, both the crop tion in a situation report . These criti cisms are almost always based on and livestock reports and the situation reports have a pretty high b atting analyses made after the fact . We can

make much better analyses after the average . t ’ fact too , but hat wouldn t be very W I in ell , guess the final analysis much help at the time when help is the determining factor in facts is the

really needed . user . We all have to live with ourselves

Take the case of a prediction of the and sometimes that is not easy .

g "ield of any crop s ay corn , on Au ust , Wh en we make a mistake we may be e 1 . W have to size up the situation able to find an excuse and thereby save with the information at hand as of that our vanity , but when we j ust sit down s date . We know that if weather i bad and argue it out with ourselves we will n l the fi al yield wi l be less "and if the often find we are the ones really re weather is better than average it will sponsible " Admitting it frankly is sort be more . — of like —a dose , of quinine bitter as all S o we always try to make it very get out but it does reduce the fever .

clear that our estimate , or forecast , is based on the assumption that weather

after the date will be about normal . Wh o can tell what the weather will be S . R. N ewell ’ 30 days in the future ? We can t—but Ch airman, Crop Reporting Board, AMS m — Liv e sto ck this su mer . About two thirds of th beans under support will be needed be fa S tockmen may expect generally 1 9-5 8 fore the crop is available , if vorable prices for cattle through this crush ings and exports continue as large m year , although the argin over a year as expected . earlier probably will be somewhat less

than in recent months . Supplies of Fe ed G rains

fed cattle are building up , and th e may D r J decline in prices this spring be con espite p ice gains since anuary , s M sid erable . However , thi decline will the arch level was substantially below

start from the highest level in 5 years . a year ago . High protein feed prices advanced to near last year ’ s level in Big feed supplies have strengthened u M Febr ary and early arch . demand for stockers and feeders . Sea sonal price declines for these classes VV h e o t are expected after the spring high , but

prices will stay above those of last year . Some classes of free wheat are ex Intentions of hog producers in 1 0 pect ed to be in short supply before the

- S tates to farrow 6 percent more sows new crop harvest . Awareness of this this spring indicate a larger seasonal situation boosted prices in mid - March to their highest point to date this decline than usual in fall hog prices .

The price level is expected to remain season .

m . fairly high until midsum er Of the total stocks of million

bushels on J anuary 1 , about mil

‘ Dairy lion bushels were owned by C CC or held " under support . The remaining free Total milk output in 1 95 8 is likely to supplies would not meet requirements exceed the fifth consecutive record high through midyear . Domestic require of billion set in 195 7 by about 1 " ments out of free old - crop supplies

billion ounds . p in the first half of 1 95 8 are estimated

Bigger production per cow would at 31 5 million bushels . An additional bring about this slight increase . On 1 5 0 million bushels would be needed for M 1 arch , the average output for milk export . cows was 3 percent higher than in 1 95 7 — Increased redempt i ons of price sup and 22 percent higher than for 1 94 7 5 6. port loans and sales of purchase agree ment wheat will result from the price Egg s “ " advance and increase free supplies . Layers o n hand March 1 were 4 per P otato e s cent fewer than a year earlier . With the ". S . flock smaller monthly egg , Supplies are much smaller than at production probably will be below that this time last year . Stocks of mil of the comparable period in 1 95 7 until M 1 lion cwt . on arch were down ’ about midyear . Farmers prices are o 30 million . The winter crop was ff likely to continue strong through the percent and spring production is also spring . likely to be smaller than a year ago .

Prices began an advance in early Feb -a t ruary . They are likely o continue

relatively high through Ma . Farmers place d nearly 90 million y s 1 9 1 95 7 bu hels , or percent , of the crop Intended acreage for early summe

under support . Redemptions and de harvest is 2 percent larger th an last M liveries can be made through ay . year . Producers in the late summer Commodity Credit Corporation prob and fair States reported March 1 that 1 ably will acquire a sizable amount , al they intended to increase acreage by it though expects to move much of it percent . F armers intended on March 1 to what other farmers - intend to do gives ’ plant 271 million acres in to the them an op portuni ty to decide for 1 6 maj or spring crops which usually themselves whether their ori ginal plan account for 75 to 80 percent of the was go od or whether they ought to , crop total in this country . make some changes . This would be nearly 6million acres Now take a look at prospects for I t w l ess than in 1 95 7 . ould be the some specific commodities .

smallest total since 1 95 3.

Total P ro b able A cre ag e T ’ raditionally , corn is the Nation s M wi “ aking allowance for nter wheat largest feed grain crop . Final plant a 4 1 n and cotton , and app roxim tely i g figures are still somewhat in d oubt , c m other rops with comparatively s all depending , in part , on the amount of acreages which were not specifically acreage growers finally put in the Soil e as rm r p orted on , it looks though fa Bank . ers are going to plant in 1 95 8 the

It appears, however that farmers smallest total acreage in the 4 1 years , plan to plant nearly 2 percent more that rec ords have been available .

than in 1 95 7 . This would still b e the Best estimate for total 1 95 8 acreage second lowest acreage in over 60 years . in the 5 9 crops planted or grown is 333 Weather cond itions h ave been gener i a is o 1 m llion cres . This ab ut million ally good for corn and production i 2 1 0 - - acres less than in 95 7 . It s mil should pass the 3 billion bushel mark lion acres l ess than before the Soil again . B 1 ank p rogram began in 95 6. The lowest acreage fig ure prior to 1 95 7 h ad VVh e o i been 34 3 million acres plan ted in 1 939. G rowers planned to increase spring A pproximately men and wheat plantings by nearly 2 percent . women farmers made the report on This was to be brought about by a 5 0 whi ch these fig ures are based . F ull percent drop in durum wheat but an details may be found in th e annual increase of nearly 1 4 percent in other March Intentions Report of the Crop

spring wheat . In spite of this in crease , r B Repo ting oard of the ". S . D epart the 1 95 8 acreage would be the second ment of Agriculture .

smallest of record . ’ Since it began in the early 1920 s, Taking into consideration transac th e March Intentions Rep ort has tions made wi th the Soil Bank and proven an excellent gui de as t o what adding winter wheat acreage estim ated farmers were likely to d o in the season

in December 1 95 7 , total wheat acreage that lay j us t ahead .

be o 7 . M seeme d likely to ab ut 5 million any factors of co urse , enter the , , Th is would be nearly 7 million more picture even after farmers have mad e

' than in 1 95 7 . M 4 f their - arch report to the 1 field o fi e m n c s of the Crop Reporting Board . Assu ing average growi g condi Weather diseas e pri ces—all can lay l , , p tions , about billion bushe s may be a p art and shape the final outcome i produced in 1 95 8 , compared w th about quite d ifferently from the plantings 95 0 million in 195 7 . e which the farm r expected to make .

h as Nonetheless , the report proven Oats, such an ac curate mirror of farmers ’ intentions each year that many grow Farmers plan to cut acreage by 8 ers take it into consideration before percent to the lowest total since 1 94 0 . t " W c ats making heir final plans . nowing eather has hampered winter in - - the S outh , and the Corn Belt plans a fire cured , dark air cured , and Con “ - 5 percent reduction . necticut binder . Participation in the Soil Bank has cut acreage slightly below Ba fl e y last year even for types in which allot

ments are substantially unchanged .

- Farmers plan a 3 percent reduction . : Some reasons are Increased wheat Flax se e d

- acreage , limitation of soil depleting e crops , and the acreage reserve pro Growers plan to reduce acreage b

- f o 1 9 7 . gram , particularly for summer fallow cause a rather poor showing in 5 E areas . ven so , with average yields , produc tion in 1 95 8 should probably reach 4 1

million bushels . It was 36 million in S o rgh um

1 95 7 . 1 After a very large crop in 95 7 , farm 1 958 ers plan to curtail plantings by Be a ns a nd P e a s nearly 1 3 percent . Even so , this would “ be nearly 5 0 percent above the 1 94 7—5 6 An increase of nearly 6 percent is

. average . Sharp declines are expected planned for dry beans In contrast , an in the Great Plains States because of acreage cut of nearly 1 2 percent is in

r . excellent wheat prospects . Growers ex tended for d y peas rien fi p e ced dif culties in harvesting and Some other maj or crops anticipate storing the high - moisture sorghum little change in acreage this year . crop last year . These include peanuts with an esti

- mated l percent decrease , hay with a

P otato e s - probable 2 percent decrease , and sugar beets with a probable acreage j ust about Total acreage is expected to be j ust ' equal tq th at of 1 95 7 . slightly above last year with the big

gest percentage increase ( 2 percent ) in Of course , logically , the next ques mm tion would be : What is the probable the early su er group . total production for 1 95 8 ?

o ans S b e . y Frankly , no one knows But these are the things that afford some insight Acreage is expected to be 1 0 percent u : ’ into the q estion The good condition above last year s record . Acreage has of the winter wheat crop , the ample 1 1 doubled since 94 8 and 94 9. Produc moisture in many areas up to mid tion should at least equal if not exceed M u ln arch , the ab ndance of fertilizer , 4 8 the 0 million bushels of 1 95 7 . m secticid es, farm labor , far machinery ,

- and know how . Acreage allotments are known and Growers plan to seed about 6percent also expected participation in the Soil i 1 Bank . Finally , the Crop Report ng more acreage than in 95 7 . Even so , acreage would be 25 percent below the Board has ample data on the yield 1 4 — trends in recent years . 9 7 5 6 average . Allotments were practically unchanged this year but Taking all these things into con ns participation in the Soil Bank is less sideration , unless yields are co ider T ably better than the averages of recent than last year . his has resulted in 1 95 years , total crop production in 8 will some intended increases . Due to up 1 fall somewhat below that of 95 7 . ward trends ln yield per acre , produc 4 tion should be about 5 mil lion bags , 2 Finally , the Crop Reporting Board w million more than in 1 95 7 . ants to thank each and every one of M 1 you who , by reporting your arch intentions made this great service to To b acco ,

all farmers possible . Acreage is expected to be slightly Good planting—and good luck " under last year . Practically all types

are under quotas and some 1 958 allot Ch arles E. Burkh ead out 1 95 7 i AM ments were below , particularly A gricultural Estimates Div sion, S gh ost - term farm: wo rkers

inc rea se d in 195 5

" m i S . . far ers pa d wages to over by housewives and students is part

f o - r million persons or w rk on farms in time , on piece wo k j obs where women 1 95 6 n A M r , accordi g to gricultural a and youngsters accomplish less than i ket ng Service . adult males . About million of these people Persons who work at nonfarm j obs were hired for onl y a few days at har most of the time probably t ake farm vest time ( less than 25 days a year on work only when and where t h e wages f the average) . The remaini ng 2 million are airly attractive . Average earnings

‘ 2 m s worked 5 days or ore . The number of regular farm wage worker include

of short - term seasonal workers ( less some relatively low - paying j obs during

than 25 days ) was considerably higher slack seasons . Finally , most year than the average of 1 million for most round workers prefer "steadi er employ

years since 1 95 0 . ment at lower wage rates to merely seasonal farm employm ent a t higher

earni ngs . Wo rking "e a r Farmers employed about mi The 2 mi llion longer - term workers rator " g y workers during 1 95 6 for an averaged 1 36day s of farm work at average of 1 16 days c ompared with per day not including bo ard room and , , , , an average of 1 4 0 days r eported by other extras sometimes provided by farm. laborers who took j obs around m s far er in addition to cash wages . M their own communities . igrants A 1 4 l a bout in of these workers a so earned an average of day , non n had earni g s from n onf arm j obs . I o migrant , n b th groups , women h l t Work on farms was the c ief activity averaged considerably ess han men .

’ ‘ s mi i of j u t half of those 2 ll on . Only Th e farther the migrants traveled to about 8 percent reported nonfarm work do farm wage work , the higher their

as their chief activity . farm wage earni ngs . But in traveling a M any farm Operators worked as hired greater distances for greater p y , they —12 hands on other farms during 1 95 6. In averaged less a ctual work time days in fact they and their families accounted a year less extreme cases .

for abo ut 9 percent of the longer - term

- umme r Em lo m e nt workers . A bout one third were not in S p y the labo r force during the greater part About half of the entire 1 95 6 farm

of t h e year . These were mostly house working forc e was employ ed from J une or wives students . m through October . A l ittle ore than

Th e average person who spent most one - fifth was doing s uch work in J an

of his time doing f arm wage work in uary 1 95 6. As would be expected ,

’ 1 95 6 worked about 2 1 5 days—that ’ s farm work for migrants showed greater

- about 36work weeks on a 6 day basis seasonal fl uctuation than thi s . About 60 and earned about daily . On the percent of the migratory workers

other hand , the typical farm worker were employed on farms for wages in

employed in nonfarm work most of the J uly 1 95 6. Peak month for local work

“

4 . year put in only 62 days of farm work ers was August , with 5 percent

‘

6. but he earned $ 70 per day in farm About 5 3 percent of all h i red farm wages . workers were eligible for S ocial Se The average housewife or student curity coverage on the basis of their b worked on farms about 60 days at farm wage work . A out of 1 a day" The self - employed farmer those eligible earned less than $ 5 0 in typically Worked only 5 7 days on other farm wages but qualified under a new provision of the Act farms at a day .

Mait an These wage differences are under S h eridan T. l d visi n A MS st nd bl M A gricu ltural Ec on omi cs D i o , a a e. ost of the farm work done M he would settle for iddling cotton . He knows that high grades can mean

money premiums for him . Wanted : Hi h Grade g r However , the g ade of cotton pro Cotton d u ed c , r as every growe knows , is not exactly a matter that the grower can

control . Weather has a great deal to Current prices favor the production say about the grade of the cotton as of high - grade cotton on allotted acre l — we l as the size of. the yield . ages ih 1 95 8 5 9. High grades are com m u The costs of harvesting by various manding substantial pre i ms . Low means must be balanced against the grades are heavily discounted . respective returns from using such u True , precise meas rement of the methods . Getting pickers is often a needs for various qualities of cotton r . m p oblem Poor or i proper ginning , ’ can t be obtained easily , and although drying , and cleaning may damage the u mills are now substit ting low grades - cotton at the gin . The planting seed u ’ for high , the extent of s ch shifts can of the farmer s choice may be scarce " not be accurately foretold . et there this season becaus e of seed damage the can be no doubt that current prices previous season . point clearly to strong demands for m m Strict Low Middling and better grade Spokes en for do estic spinners are urging that extraordinary measures be cotton . taken to insure production of more

r . s high g ade cotton At the ame time , Quotations mil 8 are doing all they can to balance u r D uring the 6months ended J anuary supplies by substit ting low g ades for manufac M 1 1 8 high , whenever flexibility of 195 8 , iddling inch was quoted at $

turing will permit . Prices after all a bale more than Strict Low Middling 1 , , M 1 speak as loudly to the spinners as they inch , and Strict Low iddling inch

do to the growers . at $ 1 8 a bale more than Low Middling . The premium for Middling over Strict ’ One threat, however to the farmer s — , Low Middling was double the 1 95 1 5 5 cotton market is the possibility that average in the 14 "SDA designated synthetic fibers may be used more ex markets . tensively in competition with the rela ti vel Farmers usually plant the most y scarce high grades of cotton . promising varieties of cotton they know The spinner may be tempted to use about and use harvesting methods that rayon as well as heavily discounted low produce as much high quality cotton as grades of cotton . This is serious for the

. r they think practicable The va iety of grower , for markets lost by cotton cotton planted largely determines the because of shifts to synthetics are dif

r g . length , st en th , and fineness of staple ficult to recover . It determines the grade only to a limited extent . Time for Re app ra isa l Good progress has been made in

So in this critical year 195 8 , with recent years in developing and dis , the proportions of lower g rades in tributing high yielding , strong and stocks exceptionally high and discounts longer fibered varieties of cotton . The ’ staple length of cotton is gradually ln large , it isn t a bad idea , maybe , to take

s . creasing . a careful survey of the ituation

oi " " u en The tensile strength nited States o , as a grower , surveying the cotton has increased some 1 0 percent tire current picture may come to the

in the last decade . In recent years , conclusion that it would pay you to take

, r r fiber imperfections , such as neps are a careful look at the p ice p emiums fewer . offered for the better grades of cotton

compared with the lower grades . E r , very cotton farmer , of cou se would like to be able to produce nothing but Rodney Wh itaker

M D irect or Cott on ivision A MS S trict iddling Cotton . Failing that , D eputy , D , n x v

4 : i i .

r‘ i f. d ." ‘ “ " I 1 o . $ 1 I f g“ "c i: 3 1 . " “ 31 J r "1 ._A l r

e i i h e In rec nt years , tobacco growers lost popular ty stead ly and in t last

h f ce aradoxical situation . 2 to 3 years use of snuff stable for ave a d a p , ,

f . "se The amount o leaf going into manu many years , has also declined of i factured tobacco roducts h as decl ned i , w t u p smok ng tobacco ho ever , urned p

- l w ln h e _ h f t f f steadily , a thoug use o cigarettes and ard moderately latter hal o ,

cigars h as continued to ris e and exports 195 7 .

have stayed fairly stable . Fa ced with this decreasing use of ' l A s a result , th e crop this year pro b eaf tobacco by manufacturers , tobacco a d h e a fi u in 1 95 8 f th e second bly will be hel to t sm llest g re growers , , or year h since 194 3. It is hoped that t e redue i o i f in a row , w ll hold pr duct on o most tion will help cut down th e large carry kinds of tobacco well below that of

i . overs from prev ous crops other years since 194 3.

“ This will be done because carry

Re cord . "se of Gigareiie s o vers from p revious cr0 ps are large . " Th e 1957 tobacco crop was more than Cigarette consumption last year was - - one fifth . below the previous 1 0 year a record high and cigar use the highest P 1 i M average . roduction in 95 8 also w ll sinc e 1 930 . anufacture of cigarettes 194 7 for d omestic and military use in 1 95 7 fall at least this much below the

5 6average , if yields per acre are about totaled 4 21 billion . An additional 21 n the same as i recent years . billion were shipped . to foreign coun

- — tries and ". S . poss essions overseas . Flue cured and burley the maj or ‘ ‘ Total output at 4 4 2 billion was 4 p er cigarette tobaccos—as well as most i h 1 cent h gher than i 95 6. other kinds have been under market Output of cigars and cigarillos for ing quotas and acreage allotments for

several years . Growers have kept domestic and military use , at billion , _ these quotas in effect by voting over was n early 3 p ercent above that of 1 95 6. h lmin l Exports account for but an insignificant w e g y in favor of them at p . riod i portion of the total cigar output" c referendums .

D espite these gains - in the manufac About 96percent of the growers of

“ fire - cured and dark air - cured tobacco tur e of both cigarettes and cigars , total leaf u s ed for both stayed inst about who voted in February favored quotas r 1 95 9 even with 1 95 6figures and considerably on thei next 3 crops . Before the

crops are planted , there will be refer below those for 1 95 2 . In that year ,

end ums on nue- cured burley Virginia manufacturers used 1 00 million pounds — , , more leaf in cigarettes and about 1 0 sun cured and Maryland tobacco ( i million pounds more in cigars . Type Growers of these k nds of Filter tip cigarettes generally require tobacco will decide whether to con

' - tinue 1 95 9 61 crops . less tobacco p er cigarette than the non quotas on their nlter L A pproval by at least two - thirds of tips . ikewise , the increased pro portion of cigarillos and small cigars those voting is necessary if the quotas f in total cigar output is partly resp on are to remain in e fect . ’ sible for 1 957 s reduced tobacco require n i u . ments those prod cts A cre age Allotme nts The increasing use of sheet tobacco m " S . “ The . Depart ent of Agriculture in both cigarettes and cigars enables set 1 95 8 acreage allotments at about manufacturers to utilize stems and ‘ 1 95 7 fiue - fragments of tobacco leaves formerly levels for cured , burley , M - n aryland , Virginia sun cured , and the co s idered unsuitable . The declining use of other to bacco produ cts also has Ohio filler and Wisconsin binder to fire r baccos . Allotted acreage for educed the quantity of leaf required .

- Pipe smoking and chewing tobacco have cured , dark air cured , and Connecticut Valley binder tobaccos are about 1 0 curred from 1 95 5 to 1 95 7 and an addi

- percent less than in 1 95 7 . tic h ai 29 percent cut is in prospect for

this year . As was the case last year , 1 95 8 acre age will also be affected by the number Ohio cigar filler and Wisconsin cigar of allotted acres placed in the Soil binder growers hav e indicated that the m 1 9 8 Bank . r i 5 1 7 Fo so e kinds , espec ally Con acreage will be percent less n ticu 1 9 2— ec t r 5 5 6. Valley ciga binder types , the than in Pennsylvania cigar Soil Bank program has meant a signif filler growers intend to plant approx ic ant reduction " im at ely the same acreage as they aver aged in the 1 95 2—5 6period

March Inte ntio ns Prospective acreage of the c i gar r r a ’ w appe types is little below that of s According to farmers intention on 1 9 2— last year and the 5 5 6average . The M 1 1 l u - arch , 95 8 f e cured acreage will , Pennsylvania filler tobacco does not be 35 percent below the 1 95 2—5 6 aver have a marketing quota and the cigar m 2 age and the s allest in 7 years . Bur wrapper types are not covered by the ley acreage ( c ut sharply in 1 95 5 and marketing quota law . held at the reduced level since ) is indi c ated 3 1 — Prices of the kinds of tobacco under at 7 pe rcent below 95 0 5 4 . Maryland acreage may be a fourth marketing quotas are supported at 90

— fire - u - percent of parity , except for c red below 1 95 2 5 6 and Virginia sun cured ,

- - dark air cured , and Virginia sun cured . down about a fifth . r r u r For these latte types , p ice s ppo ts Fire - cured and dark air - cured to are based on fixed percentages of the bacco growers plan to set 1 6 and 1 3 r u r . r bu ley s ppo t Howeve , beginning 1 percent less acres than last year and with 95 8 , they may not exceed their — 1 95 7 90 around 37 percent less than 1 95 2 5 6. levels unless percent of their

Connecticut Valley cigar binder acre own parities is above these levels . age probably will be only a fourth as Art h u r G . Co nov er 1 2— much as 95 5 6. A drastic cut c c A ricultural Ec on omic i g s Div is on, AMS Where Does "our Livestock Go?

In 1 95 5 , "nited States farmers sold Since World War I , terminal mar 38 ' p ercent of their livestock in the kets have actually declined in relative _

"

e t . 1 923 x country at points oth r than terminal impor ance In , for e ample , and auction markets" Thi s total was federally inspected slaughterers ’ pur made up of farmers ’ sales direct to chases at termi nal markets were 90 ( 1 5 ) f 86 p ackers percent , to local dealers percent o their total kill of cattle ,

( 1 5 percent ) , and to other farmers ( 8 percent of calves , and S heep and

percent ) lambs , and 77 percent of hogs .

Terminal public markets accounted - A number of factors helped to spur

" for 34 p ercent of all farmers ’ livestock the rapid growth of c ountry selling ’ “ " which began in the 1 920 s largely at the sales "auctions , 26 percent , all other

expense of terminal markets . D i rect outlets , 2 percen t .

sale by producers also had this appeal , that it permitte d producers to observe A uctio ns incre a sing and exercise some control over selling M Terminal markets were still the larg while it was taking place . any pro est single outlet ih 1 95 5 but auction d ucers preferred this rather than shi p

sales have in creased rapidly and now ping to d istant markets . If t h e market

rank sec ond as a single outlet . How price was too low , they could refuse to

'

ever , relative importance of the outlets s ell , but the return haul would cost to o

varies by spec ies and regions . much .

1 L arger and more specialized livestock Thus , in 95 5 , farmers marketed 38 f 22 farmers coul d now move their stock in percent o their cattle , p ercent of any direction along modern transpor their calves , 35 percent of their sheep t ation 31 networks . Improved communi and lambs , and percent of their hogs — and pigs through terminal public mar cations the radio , the telephone , both increasingly used by farmers—and an kets . Country selling accounted for about one—third of the cattle and of the expanded market information service

all encouraged country selling , particu calves , almost half of the sheep and

larly sales direct to packers . lambs , and over half of the hogs sold . Auction selling amounted to somewhat Disposition of hogs by di rect or more than one - fourth of the cattle country sales became and remains par

- , fifth s f sold two o the calves , and one ticul arl 1 y popular . In 955 , direct sell

sixth each of sheep and lambs , and ing was the dominant means of mar h ogs and pigs . keting hogs in many areas of the North C Terminal public markets are most entral States . Direct selling is par ticul arly important for slaughter cattle important in the North Central States ,

i n in the Pacific Coast States . auct ons i the South , and country l se ling in the Northeast and in the ’ Pdcke rs P la nts Some of the packers buy livestock Much livestock d isposed of at both direct from producers at the packers ’ country and auction markets is not for m plants and at their country buying i mediate slaughter . Consequently , in points . These points have fixed places considering merely final sales to of business including yards and scales r slaughterers , terminal markets ank where the livestock is delivered direct higher than they do in original sales C e by farmers . attl —especially are often t . 1 95 6 a the farm In , federally ih bought by packer buyers who travel sp ected slaughterers purchased 70 per from farm to farm and feedlot to i in cent o their cattle , 37 perc ent of their feedlot mak g their bids on the live

calves , 4 5 percent of their sheep and stock they inspect . a 37 l mbs , and percent of their hogs at Co untry buying operations by local i term nal markets . dealers in all p arts of the Nation prob

1 2 M u are located . ost animals are bro ght age of ewes lambing early in these by farmers or dealers to the auction States is the same as last year . market . Th e increase in the number of early lambs is accounted for by increases in Auctio n P ro ce d ure i r Texas , the lead ng iamb p oducing

r . Other names for livestock auctions State , and the Pacific No thwest The number of breeding ewes on farms and are sales barns , livestock auct ion agen r J u r 1 1 95 8 th e anches an a y , , was above cies , community sales , and community previous year in 6 of the 1 0 important auctions . The procedure , however , is : " always the same : sale to the man offer early lamb States entucky , Ten h W t essee Texas , Idaho , ashing on , and ing the highest price per cwt . or per , t Oregon . The other early lamb S ates head during public bidding . M i i are issouri Virg n a Arizona , and Only about 200 auctions were in oper , , California . ation in 1 930 but by 1 937 this number r i had spurted to Another count In general , weathe and feed cond 4 tions have been favorable for t h e showed in 1 9 9. The peak came growth and development of the early in 1 95 2 , with over auctions . The 1 95 5 e r u r count showed a slight declin to lamb c op , except in the So theaste n

- m States . There persistent below nor al What is the best market for you ? temperatures prevailed and supple

u . "ou would have to evaluate each pos mental feeding was req ired sible market in terms of services of fered T x a La m s , selling costs , competitive prices e s b , and from all this determine what your A n early lamb crop much larger than net return is likely to be . last year ’ s relatively low spring crop E ’ ven after you ve reached a decision , num seems indicated in Texas . The the only certain thing about it is that ber of breeding ewes is up 1 percent and it will change . Price shifts at different the lambing percentage will be higher . markets do not occur simultaneously or Indications also point to a higher per in the same amount or even in the centage of ewes lambing early than in same direction . n recent years . Spri g range and pasture i is Th s , though , heartening to you as feed prospects are unusually favorable . M a producer . arketing always h as An increase in the early lamb crop been and probably always will be dy appears likely also in the 3 North nami M , , c . arketing opportunities and W western States Idaho , ashington , and outlets will change but a variety of ,

Oregon . The number of breeding ewes marketing opportunities will always be is up 4 percent and the proportion of available to you . ewes lambing early is about the same . i Victor B. Ph llips annawa d G erald Engelman Emmett B. H l MS A ricu lturul Estim ates Div ision, A Marketing Research D ivision, AMS g Briefing ferPe i ai e . Growers

P otato production since 1 935 has h ad more of potatoes accounted for 88 per n 3 main characteristics . They are : cent of the productio .

' ' D rastic reduction in acreage" phe Th e red uction in marginal and non

- nomenal i ncrease in yield per acre , commercial acreages resulted in a maintenance of volum e of production larger part of th e crop being grown on

- i . f . at a r elatively h gh level the ertile , higher yielding soils This ,

then , would be still another reason why In 1 935 about million acres of

yield per acre sho uld increase . potato es wer e harvested . In 1 95 7 t h e

- acreage was less than million . In The improved cultural practices ih 1935 yield p er harvested acre was clud e wider use of improved varieties i i m . I 1 95 7 t w and cert fied seed the planting of ore cwt n as , i f seed per acre , heav er applications o i fre P rod uction fioh i rd sls fert lizer p er acre , and the more quent use of potent insecticides and i 1 935 At the beg nning of the period fungicides . 5 6 pro duction averaged around 2 13 , All these devices were used when 4 3—5 0 million cwt . In 1 9 , when wartime growers wer e assured 60 to 90 percent incentives and price supports were of parity . Beginni ng with 1 95 1 when i , stimulating factors , product on reached

price supports were removed , per acre - an all time high of 292 million cwt . and — yields leveled off and remained fairly averaged 25 7 million . D uring 1 95 1 5 6, stable until However , in 1 95 7 years without price supports , produc yields again showed a substantial in tion averaged 221 million cwt . with a 1 — crease over the 95 0 5 5 level . high of 24 4 million in The 1 95 7 " S 6 i . crop was 23 mill on cwt , considerably ields in the Central tates , con — sid erin ( above the 1 95 1 5 6average . g the late potato crop late sum

mer and fall crops combined ) , have not The great- est upsurge in per - acre shown as relatively large increases as in 1 94 6—5 0 i yield came in when pr ces were E the astern and Western States . This supported at 60—90 p ercent of parity factor and the decline in acreage in the and growers were obliged to comply Central S tates account for the rela with G ov ernment acr eage allotments tively large reduction of production for t o receive payments . Harvested acre that area . age declined 36 percent , but yield per acre rose 63 percent . P ro d uctio n By Re gio ns

Now , why d id th e yi eld per acre in crease so substantially ? The C entral States lost the produc tion leadership of the late crop to the ih There are several reasons . They r other two a eas , with the Eastern and clud e a reduction in low - yielding a cre W s ‘ estern region each producing , for age . Concentration of production on the period 1 95 0 to 1 95 5 , 38 percent of specialized potato farms . Improved the total late summer and fall crops . cultural practices . Discontinuance , by D uring the same period , the acreage many growers , of production prima was divided almost equally among the rily for home use . three regions . This last factor shows up in the Th e late summer and fall crops are in steady decline the number of farms used as the basis of comparison because o gr wing potatoes . They decreased they produce about three - fourths of the from million in 1 934 to million annual supply . 1 4 T in 95 . h e 1 95 0 Census of A gricul ture showed that 82 percent of the 1 94 9 The maintenance of production at a crop was produced on only farms high level do es not explain all th e 1 0 f . 1 9 4 n , I 5 that grew acres or more n , problems co ronting potato producers 1 W the farms reporting 0 acres or in recent years . ith the decline in the

In Th is issue

Force s A mo ng th e P ine s

’ Be rt N ew e ii s Le tte r

Outlook

Grow e rs Wi ll Cut 1 95 8 A cre s “

MoreSh ort - Te rm F o rm Wo rk

‘ High n G rdd e Cotto n

To b a cco S upplie s

Liv e stock Ma rke ts

Early Lamb Cro p

P o tato e s

’ ’ Fa rme r s S h o re o f Co nsum e r s

F o o d fiofio r

Pe rmissio n ls Giv e n To Re print

' A rticle s in Th is Publicatio n

Ed ito r J m M u : a e s . B ckle y

A ssistant: Ma rce lle Maste rs

1 6 " 5 G OV ERN MEN T P RIN TIN G OF F l CE 39 5 31