pood economic weather vane can be found in fortunes or misfortunes of agriculture. First changes are generally noted in the prices of farm commodities. As yet there is no indication that prices will go tumbling downward. A decrease in farm prices of foiir per cent is indicative of a' leveling off rather than a downward trend. Figures recently released show that farmers wound up the year 1952 with about the same net income as they earned in 1951, although higher operating costs kept pro fits below those of 1951. A price decline, which started in June, was clearly notice able at the end of the year and was esti ' mated at a four per cent decline by Decem ber. Only two crops—oranges and rice — were record crops in 1952, although several crops approach all-time records. Corn and winter wheat were the second largest crops in U. S. history. The soybean crop was also near record. Cattle increased during the year to a record number of 93.000,000 head compared with 88,000,000 on January 1,

64.2%