THE AMERICAN FARMER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7402, 4 February 1908, Page 1

THE AMERICAN FARMER.

If the late reports of agricultural conditions in America are to be believed, the financial crisis in that country is practically confined to Wall Street and the trust maganates who have been rushing to destruction.. American farmers, we are told, have had a most prosperous year, and the future has never been more favourable to their prospects. The American Agriculturist estimates that the crop yields of 1907 will mean £100,000,000 more to the farmers of the States than in 1906. The wheat crop was certainly 150,000,000 bushels less than in 1906, but the increase in price promises to make the smaller crop worth almost as much as the big yield of the previous season. And so with the other crops. "Where increased production is not recorded higher prices more than make up for decreased quantity. The American farmers' prospects are brilliant, says the American Agriculturist, for unless all signs fail prices of nearly every product on the farm will average higher from September, 1907, to April, 1908, than for any winter for many years. Production has hardly kept pace with consumption. There are no financial troubles in the great producing sections of the country. The American farmer was never in so healthy a position as he is to-day. The encrease in the value of his real estate has greater assets than ever before. American agricultural is there!or<> upon, the soundest basis. Hence the perfect foundation for. ft continuance of good times. There is every reason for satisfaction over agricultural prospects. Allowing for the note of characteristic American pessimism in these remarks, it is evident that the American farmer is on the top of the wave, and when the farmer is prosperouse the country generally must be in a sound position.