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Show PAGE EIGHT THE nXTAH BASIN FARMER . PEPPARD SERVICE February 15, 1927. Associated Beehive Seed Growers of the Uintah Basin. We still have the following prices on our blackboard for our contract growers only: No. 3 $12.50 No. 1 $16.50 No. 4 9.25 No. 2 15.00 Evtra No. 1, 5 per cent over No. Wholesale markThey have been Up almost six weeks now. ets have not been very active but this company having confidence in values, has endeavored to give all its regular contract- ors an opportunity to unload their seed at these figures. SOME OTHER INTERESTING FIGURES The Government figures for alfalfa seed production show that the United States 56,500,000 pounds Produced in 1925 55,000,000 pounds Produced in 1926 alfalfa seed were grown of In 1925 about 23,000,000 pounds in Utah, leaving 33,500,000 from the rest of the country. In 1926 Utah produced about 14,000,000 pounds, leaving about 41,000,000 from the other sections. In other words, outside of Utah alfalfa seed production in the United States increased from 33,500,000 pounds in 1925 to 41,000,000 in 1926 a net increase of 7,000,000 pounds or twenty per cent. Does that constitute a problem? Is the other fellow going to get into this alfalfa seed grooving business to such an extent that he will interfere with our business as seed growers? What can we do about it? Thats something to think about isnt it? The figures show that this outside production is a serious matter. The Department of Agriculture says that ACREAGES OP ALFALFA and SWEET CLOVER FOR SEED SHOULD HOT BE INCREASED IN 1927. ALFALFA SEED IN THE BASIN us want to continue to raise Alfalfa Seed. Our country is adapted by soil and climate to seed production. Alfalfa seed can readily be shipped to the railroad by trucks for a small , per centage of its value. In short alfalfa seed is one of our most important crops, and has made the Uintah Basin a lot of money in the past five Mofet of years. f Naturally we want to continue to make rndney raising seed. If other districts produce better alfalfa seed than we do their seed will sell before ours if prices are equal If their seed is as good as Ours and they are willing to take less money per pound, they will sell their seed first and if they have enough of it, they may supply the markets of the country and leave us to keep our crops. , 1 They are going to compete with us and we will have to face the competition. They are not going to stop raising seed in order that the Uintah Basin may prosper. Neither are Uintah Basin farmers going to stop raising seed in order to let other communities make more money raising seed, Uintah Basin farmers will raise seed as long as their land and labor pays better returns from seed than it would pay if put to other uses. Farmers 'in other districts will raise alfalfa seed as long as seed makes them more money than other crops. Moreover, if they have been raising other crops, and they believe that growing seed will pay better, they will grow seed. Think it over Now for a few suggestions. We can imprdve the average quality of our alfalfa seed by cutting the weedy patches and the mixed patches for hay. Generally we can improve the quality of what we do save for seed by rduging out the weeds and clover. Lots of weeds and clover seed get into oar fields from oar ditchbanks. Mowing and burning them periodically will help. We can make money even though we have to sdl our seed we if can reduce the cost of production. , cheaper Big yields per acre almost always cost less per pound to produce than small yields. Livestock to clean up hay and pummy from the alfalfa help to pay for the farmers time and increase his income, and so on. Many seed growers are already figuring on diversifying heir farming operations for this season. The men whot arc milking a dozen good cows are getting along Others are some extra dollars on pigs. Some making monare feeding ey sheep and lambs during the winter, j One Rodsevelt farmer told us that his com usually made about fifty bhshels per acre. Cant we fit part or all of these things together on our individual farms and get some of these extra dollars? 1927 PROSPECTS The snow fall this season is mighty encouraging td all of us. Looks now as if our fields would have plenty of moisture to start crops this spring. The mountains are said to be well covered plenty cl water for irrigation. Such prospects make us all feel better, dont they? - mm Jo Go Dacbesnz Peppard Seed Company Roosevelt Vernal I n |