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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1958)
PAGE SIX HERALD ANJIEWS, KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 1958 By BILL DECKER The story of 2,025 pigs is recount ed in the National Live Stock Pro ducer. It seems that a reporter turned in a story to the editor stating that 2,025 pigs had been stolen from John Brown's farm. The editor questioned the figure, but the reporter insisted that it was correct and that he had the farm er's word for it. ' Still unconvinced, the editor de cided to call Brown direct and verify the figure. "YcthY" lisped Brown as he picked up the phone. The editor changed the story to read that "two sows and 25 pigs" had been stolen. The year ahead will bring Ore gon farmers a new mixture of bit ter and sweet, but the blend should not be too bad, according to a forecast from Marion D. Thomas, extension agricultural economist at Oregon State College. Farm income in the state has gained a little in each of the past three years, and has a fairly good chance of moving up some more in the year ahead, Thomas said. These past gains show the strength of agriculture, even dur ing times when lumbering and oth er phases of the state's economy were either losing ground or barely holding their own, he pointed out. I here is more caution and con cern in the minds of businessmen, bankers, labor leaders, public offi cials, and others in Oregon and throughout the nation than at any lime since 1!I54, Thomas reports. Recent developments have shaken everyone's confidence," he explains, and as a nation we are seeking the happy medium between too much and too little confidence, the political and military strength to protect what we cherish, and the economic stability that lies be tween too much and too little cred it and debt, between inflation and deflation. "However, individually. as groups, and through the govern ment steps are being taken to store up our confidence, Thomas thinks. And, barring a more serious let down in the econohiy than now seems likely, and assuming no all out war in 1958 and no major changes in government farm pro grams, it seems likely that farm ers will in general receive and pay about the same average prices as in l!ir7," he says. Ihomas is quick to point out. however, that tore will be im portant changes by commodities and types of farm in the state. For one tiling, he said, Oregon is al most certain to see a larger pro duction and lower prices for its number ono cash-producing farm crop wheat. The stale s fall plant ings ol wheat were up 13 per cent over a year earlier. And, with al most ideal weather getting the new crop off to a good start, odds are that wheat will bo piling up again in the coming season un less exports pick up soon. the past year was also a big one for feed grains, and feed grain stocks, already large in Oregon and the nation, will probably be still larger nt the close of the present feeding season. This means that sooner or later farmers will either have to reduce the output of feed grains, or feed more ani mals, Thomas reports. Oregon s hay crop wasn t ouitc as large as expected, totalling a shade under the previous year. Yel the tola! supply on hand, including a large carryover, is about 13 per cent larger than the past season. fcven so, I nomas says, prices next summer may be up some for hay, if mouse damage lo meadows and hay fields is as severe as now feared. Cuttle prices in the slate held high at the end of the year, but it is doubtful if they will stay nt that level through l'T.8, Thomas iaid. Handlings of fed rattle market ings in April and May, along with a lairly heavy hog slaughter, could break spring markets rather bad ly, he believes. The callle market during the Inst half of the year will depend heavily on how cm ployment and incomes are going, ' as well as the supply of meats on hand. ilog production over the nation is building up again, although ap parently not as fast as three year; ago, Thomas said. But since all three Pacific Coast states use more pork than they produce, and have lots of barley at prices fairly com petitive with corn in the Midwest, the year ahead will probably be neither the best nor the worst for Oregon hog raisers. As usual, lamb prices Will be influenced by what happens to beef, Thomas notes, which means prices should be favorable most of the time. Since wool supports will stay the same as in 1957, this commodity should remain fairly stable. Poultrymen should have a bet ter year, but dairy returns prob ably will be about the same as in 1957. Fruits and vegetables should recover part of the ground lost during the past year, but aren't likely to climb all the way back where they were belore the price break, Thomas believes. Potatoes now in storage should also enjoy steady-to-rising prices if market ings proceed on an orderly basis. Farm incomes on most types of commercial family-operated farms in the nation were larger in 1956 than the year before, the U.S. De partment of Agriculture reports. This is brought out in a study. "Farm Costs and Returns, 1956, with Comparisons" (AIB No. 178), just published by the department. The study, made each year by economisls of USDA's Agricultural Research Service, is focused on 28 types of commercial family-operated farms in important farming areas ol the u.s. Net income income left after deducting charges, outlays, " and losses on the family-operated farms in the study was larger in 1956 than in 1955. However, 10 of the types had lower net incomes in 1956. Incomes by types of farm ranged from about $13,900 on wheat-pea farms in the Washington-Idaho area, to a loss of about $1,240 on drought-ridden cattle ranches of the Southwest. - The report points out that in 1956 net income per farm was only 34 per cent of gross income, com pared with 50 per cent during the 1942-46 period. USDA economists give three reasons for this: (1) the declining importance of farm fam ily labor in farm production, 12) increased mechanization on farms, and (3) the increase since 1952 in production costs relative to prices received by farmers for Iheir prod ucts. As a result, the study says, farmers' purchasing power has de clined more than a third since 1946 The report shows that farming is fast becoming an occupation re quiring substantial capital invest ments. For example, estimated to tal capital on these farms ranged from a little less than $10,000 on peanut-cotton farms in the South-" em Coastal Plains to more than $177,000 on sheep ranches in the Southwest. Gross income on the 28 types of farms studied averaged more in 1956 than the year before. Chief reasons for this additional income are the increase in farm size and the amount of capital used per larm and the increased produc tivity. I : f-rv I 1 j fed REELECTED TO SUCCEED THEMSELVES at a Tecent meeting of the Klamath Basin Grade A Milk Producers Association are the three dairymen shown above. From left to right they are Lawrence Geraghty, president; Wilbur Reiling, vice president and Ray Hobson, secretary-treasurer. The all day meeting was held at the fairgrounds Tuesday with lunch being furnished by the Poe Valley Home Economics Club. Farming Hours Seen Shorter The farm workday is slowly but surely becoming shorter. Declines in working hours per day in nearly all states are reporU ed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers averaged 10.7 hours work per day around June 1 of last year. At the same time in 1956 the average was 10.9 hours per day, and in 1955 it was 11.2. Much of the decrease in the farm workday comes about as a result of reductions in chore labor. USDA studies show that gains in labor efficiency are possible through such things as improved arrangement of buildings, use of labor-saving equipment, and adap tation of chore routines. In one series of tests annual dairy chore labor was reduced from 225 hours labor per cow to less than 70 hours through such practices. Another study shows that the chores may be cut by 80 per cent. Again, time-saving practices de creased the amount of labor need ed to tend the flock. For ex ample, an automatic walcrer pro viding continuous flow might low er the time required to water poultry by hand from 42 hours annually to three hours. Through newer and better meth ods and machinery the farmer will be able lo enjoy more lei sure time while still getting his work done. HOME REPAIR DO's And DONTs ROLLER PAINTING DO . . . use the correct roller cover and the proper paint for the surface to be covered, get ting the information from your dealer or from the Paint Roller Paint Selector which many stores now carry. DO ... be sure the surface is clean and free from oil, dust and foreign matter. DO ... be certain that the roll er is not overloaded, removing ex cess paint each time by rolling . F . A SMrrBHFBOUfX A copy of "Farm Costs and Re turns, 1956. With Comparisons" 'AIB No. 176) may be obtained from the Office of Information. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Washington, 25, D.C. over the dry surface of the tray. DO . . . roll back and forth eas ily on the surface in all direc tions, letting the roller do the work and not pressing down. DON'T . . . when doing walls, start rolling with a downward stroke; always roll upward with a light, even stroke on the first "pass" with the roller. DON'T . . . roll too fast, a com mon cause of a spraying effect. DON'T . . . spin the roller at the end of a slroke, stopping it completely before removing it from the wall. DON'T . . . resume painting in freshly-painted portion, remember ing always to start on a dry por tion and roll into the painted area. When you buy real estate, bring your title to us. We'll check it. If It's in order, we'll issue Title Insurance which protects you from loss or impairment of ownership! The cost is low, the protection is high. FOR THE BEST IN TITLE SERVICE See Klamath County's ONLY HOME OWNED TIRE COMPANY Klamath County Abstract Co. 422 Main TU 4-3153 OPEN SEASON Is there a about your Trees Fruit Trees Pruned Topping Tree Removal Moke your trees safe and keep them healthy - Call: BAKER'S Landscape Nursery 3616 South 6th Phone TU 2-3167
