The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-25

little harvest is not saved there is 10
chance of food in the coming winter
Unable to save the crops in time they
will rot in the field and the poor wiu
Starve.
Root Crops Threatened Too.
Not only are the grain crops acct
ed. but the root crops as we'll. Much
of the European supply OF meat de
ponds on the root rop Cattle.
horses. sheep and hogs. have 10 be fed
during the long winter. and. II for
sale. fattened on the potatoes. turnlps
and mangeis. the later a huge beet
Sections OF turnip fields are cut off h.
netting and into these sheep are turn
ed until the last shred Is consumed
State fed cattle are fattened largely
on the same root. and these. with po-
tatoeS. go to fatten hogs These crops
have to be carefully tended during the
summer and fall-weeded. pulled and
pitted for winter use. With most OF
the bie-bodied men called 10 war
what is to become of them, Neglect
| means loss of the crops and this latter
is but the preliminary Of famine and
all it's horrors.
Even in the south of England tho
government has not infrequenty
found it necessary TO release soldiers
and send them out to the farmers
to help aid in harvesting the crops.
In countries where peat is used for
fuel there is another trial. To get
it dried and home for the winter con-
sumption. No doubt the old people.
women and children will make heroic
efforts to meet the situation, but there
are conditions that no such feeble et
forts can meet, and these are the
awful conditions that the Country folk
in Europe have to face now. when
their harvest time is in full swing. 40
time can be lost in the harvesting Of
grain; it is a case Of now, or never.
that after considerations or conditions
cannot redeem. How did men,
women burthened with children and
boys. can possibly meet the situation
is beyond human forecast, but APP
parently there is nothing but misery
in sight for the poor people OF war
ridden Europe.
These conditions prevail through
the greater part OF Europe where
small holdings are the rule. especially
in France and Russia. where the land
has been sub-divided into extremely
small portions for generations past.
Then the hay harvest has to be
gathered and cured. The cut grass
has to be cured on the field for days
before it can be gathered into STOCKS
to get rid of the moisture, and must
remain in the open before it can b.
/ stored in ricks for the winter consum-
l1ou- IL " JIG L. lFA
Of heat will set in, which spoils its
feeding qualities. In new grass lano
where there is a level surface the croI
! can be cut and largely handled by ma.
chinery, but in rough land. ole
meadows. this is rarely possible. es
J pecially on the small farms. sub-divid
, ed into small fields. The care ant
tending off arm stock in winter Is n
easy task and entails a great dea
of care and labor. In countries Wher'
the grape is a standard product tn
!, task is an easier one, but people can
: not live on grapes, and must have a
, least some kinds Of grain to Sustail
, life. But every product Of the land
in all countries must be carefully tend
: ed, and to do this requires much labor
and where that labor is to come froT
= under h present state of affairs
one OF the most serious problems tina
now cOnfrOnts the stay-at-home fol
throughout almos the entire continen
OF Europe.