Show INCREASE IN PRICES OF FARM PRODUCTS 4 I 1 f 4 41 4 1 I w N f zt V pi a 1 iza 1 J za Z 7 modern modem farm packing shed vegetables and fruit 01 prepared by the united states department of agriculture the tevel level of paid producers ot of the united states for the principal crops increased about 13 per can cent t during april in the past six years the price level baa it as increased indrea 8 ed during april 32 per cent thus the 0 this year to Is less than usual since december 1 the index figure of crop prices has haa advanced 24 per cent during tho the same period a year same ago the advance was 63 3 per cerit cent and the average for the past six years year has been ark an advance of per der cent on may jay 1 I the index figure of crop prices was about 17 per cent higher than a year ago but per cent lower than two years ago find and 13 per cent higher than the average of the past six I 1 x years year s on at may a y 1 the level of prices price paid to producers of the tae united states for meat animals increased 04 per cent during the month from march 15 to april 15 which compares with an increase of 37 I 1 per cent in the same period a year ago an increase of per cent two years ago a decrease of 47 per cent three years ago and an increase of 48 per cent four years ago V from rom december 15 to april 15 the advance in prices for meat animals has been 8 per cent whereas during tho the same period a year ago the advance was per cent and two years ago per cent while three years ago there was a do decline cilas in price of 66 per cent during abla th period on april 15 the average weighted price of moat meat animals hogs cattle 1 sheep and chi chickens chens was per pounds which is 01 per cent higher than the prevailing price a year ago per cent higher than tw two 0 years ago per cent higher than three years roars ago and 44 per cent beitt lower than our years ago on april 16 15 the number of colonies of bees in the tha united 8 year appears to be nebout four per cent above the tha ri number m last year and per jer cent aboyo above re recent carit years decreases compared both with last year and recent years are reported in the new england states pennsylvania georgia missouri nebraska kansas mississippi louisiana and california the loss in california and in a majority of the other states state s named was due to a severe opi epidemic demlo of foul brood disease increases are particularly marked la in the north central rocky mountains and pacific coast states except as already noted the condition ot of the colonies Is reported to be about 93 per cent of a norr nal taking the united states as a whole the condition is about 6 per ant above normal however in the rocky mountain and pacific coast tates states tho the condition of colonies compared with last spring Is 18 n bout 4 per sent ent better being reported as interior inferior only in maine massachusetts connecticut virginia west virginia georgia ditto indiana illinois kansas kentucky and mississippi it is generally setter etler tha thai last spring in tho the north I 1 states stales and very much better in the be rocky mountain and pacific coast tho the condit condition lun of nectar bearing plants averages about 99 09 per cent of a normal for the united states as a whole ranging in the neighborhood of at 95 05 in all the country east of the excepting texas where it Is and about per cent in the rocky mountain and coast antes boing being highest per cent in california compared with last year the condition of at nectar bearing plants averages 3 per cent higher for the tha united states being generally slightly below last year east of the except in texas where it la Is 53 50 per cent better and decidedly better in the rocky mountain and pacific coast states reaching the very high figure of per cent compared with last year in california where moisture mol stura conditions in tho the whito sage saga country presage desage a bountiful nectar flow in the important honey producing states of at texas colorado and california tho the outlook Is very promising showing allowing numbers of cot colonies onles comi pared with recent years of and 85 and aitto compared with last year of and 9 83 3 per cent respectively colony conditions compared with normal norma of and as compared with last year or aad per cent respectively the number of colonies col onlea la in the ui wa white ito clover belt of tho the north central states is at al least 5 per cent above the auld ber bar last year and taken as a wholes whole the condition of the cofo colonies Alles Is equal to that of last year but the condition of nectar plants in these stated to la reported as not quite so BO good as last lak year duo due partly to a late spring and partly to loss ot of clover from the tha drought in some sections an inquiry will be mada in july regarding honey production and another inquiry on the he same subject will be roads made later in the season it Is hoped in the meant meantime lind to secure the agreement of a large number of experienced an and d up to date beekeepers bee keepers to furnish reports on the honey crop in order that the estimates may pe be approximately app roil correct and abild therefore of real i to honey producers e end and nd others othera interested savo save your home grown crimson clover seed la Is the advice given to farmers by clover specialists of at the bf department of agriculture clover seed of at the home saved variety in the hull Is tho the best and surest to sow since the hull seems ta tc hold bold a little moisture and thereby reduces the chance of failure to get a good stand farmers are urged to save own seed the clover will soon be ripe and a few farmers will endeavor to save the tha seed in a small way by stripping the tha heads beads bea ds by hauling the ripe ha hay to a shed and let it lie ile until a slack timo when it aiu be beaten out or by hauling to a scaffold made of boards with cracks between or stretching poultry wire over a frame and nailing flailing the seeds out allowing the seeds to fall through 9 where they can be gathered up the following simple method tor for saving saying crimson clover seed will prove practical and economical and is recommended by tho the department after the clover is ripe select a time when the sun eun is likely to shine for SOT say oral days then mow in the morning while the dew la Is yet on the clover let it lie ile without being disturbed until the next noon take a tarpaulin or large wagon aragon sheet to the field and spread it out pitch the dry clover hay on to it stir with forks shako shake the seed out and throw the straw back on the land when the seed that are neav neaney by are saved drag tho the tarpaulin a little farther into the field repeating the oper operation a until the field is harvested or sufficient seed Is secured tor for the next falls sowing the seed thus can bo be placed in bags from time to time Io bably the most important characteristic te of at crimson clover Is its ability to grow and make its crop during tho the season when the lend land Is not occupied by the ordinary summer grown crops in sections where it succeeds crimson clover can be sown following a grain crop or in an Inter tilled crop in late summer and will mature a hay crop the following spring in the land tor for spring seeded crops chopi such as corn or cotton it may even bo be held tor for seed as tar far north as central delaware and the stubble bo be plowed under in time for seeding the quick maturing strains of born corn it may be turned under for soil sail improvement Improve melA when only six inches high if it is Wd desired estred to fit the land for early spring seeded crops even it if only the stubble bo be turned under the effect upon the succeeding crop will be ba marked especially it if the afie soil bo be deficient in nitrogenous fertilizers the tha plowing under of the entire plant however will more rapidly correct any deficiency of nitrates or humus in the soil most of the soils in n the crimson clover cloter sections will be found to be beno bane filed by liming crimson clover however does not appear to require lima to the extent that red clover does frequently on well drained soils in a good state or of fertility tho the crimson clover makes a vigorous growth without the iha use of lime tho the stands are however usually more uniformly rood over the limed parts of such fields than on an the parts that have received no lime the opinion among individual farmers ap pears to be about equally divided at to whether or not it pays them to limi their soils for crimson crimson clover in carsi considering si tho the advisability Y oi applying apply ini lime one must not lose sight might of th need of lime on the part of such othe crops as cantaloupes cantaloupe a or require lime and which are eltheda I 1 grown with the clover or follow it it |