Show GRASSROOTS Farmers Are Enjoying More Prosperity Than Ever By Wright A. FACTS AND FIGURES used THE in this column were provided by a national life insurance As compared with the conditions of the mid-twenties and early those operating the farms of to-day are following the sunny side of the farm prosperity thanks to a beneficent Farm mortgages are rot being foreclosed by the sands each day or as was true of that time mortgages representing farm purchases made at prices for By last mortgage were practically The 1 farm had grown hum an average I acres in 1900 to an average 1 size of acres in and the mortgage had dropped to an age it only per a mere per cent of the value of the I farm and its equipment That reduction of the farm mortgage represents but one evidence of farm That average American j er of was 49 years Hi a IBS of land and hla farm buildings were worth Hit farm machinery and motor I with live stock and poultry to a value of rep-I resent a total plant value t each of the farms of 1 For each farm there was pro- s In 1350 crops Ing a cash value of plus worth of the products of e-ch used by the In the American agriculture is a big and again with its mure than six million producing units sharing in Ibe total of more than 30 billion dollars of an average each of with an average holding of about each exclusive of home furnishings and home the past half century the farm has increased its production despite the fact that the farm population has decreased by some 12 per With better better better better livestock and more the man hour production has increased la the past 10 years by mora 35 per Thanks to the American the American has more than kept pace with other American It has done its full part in all of our war It has provided food for our armed and for those of our Half a century in 1900 the average net income American farms amounted to only per Twenty five years later It was and in 1950 the average annual net income amounted to That increase was not all due to the government policies of guaranteeing a parity price farm Much of it was due to the habits of thrift and Industry that is so much an attribute of the Those more than the parity prices maintained at the expense of the were responsible for the restoration of the farm to its place in the national The people of the cities and towns should realize that it la not nor any one at who Is responsible for present but that such conditions have largely been produced by the characteristic industry and thrift of those on the The figures of general are There are farms on which thrift and industry are not but such instances are the exceptions rather than the As a the farm Is enjoying an unusual of due to the efforts of the farmers and the Farming is again an acceptable way of it enjoys not only its share of cash but the conveniences of living that were so long considered the of the urban population where electricity was The electric power li provided by the farm owned of which the average hat invested That investment provides him with a with electricity for light and It provides him and his family the same conveniences that are enjoyed by those living in the the American farmer It again living on the tunny tide eaty His balance at his local bins is as large at It that of the average city dweller |