Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-11-28
WAR HAS BROUGHT TO TEXAS
FARMER NECESSITY OF PRO-
VIDING HOMEGROWN LIVING.
FARM PRODUCTS IN DEMAND
Texas Farms Must Be Made to Yield
MerchantabIe Crops to the Limit
Of ProductIveness - Her
Great Resources.

American nation to the necessity of
things which formerly came from Ger
many, Belgium, Austria, France, Rus
STA, England and her dependencies.
Today the United States, as regards
many necessary articles, is in the con
dition of Edison, whose supply of car.
bOlic acid required in making graphic
phone records was shut off by the war
| Edison invented process for making
| his carbolic acid. cheaper than he had
| bought it from Germany; and likewise
| there must be some inventing and spe-
| cial farming done in this country or
| people will have to do without some OF
the things to which they are accus
toned.
Hence, diversified farming is no
longer a matter of choice.
Agricultural imports into the United
States from July 1, 1912, to June 80.
1913, as given in the 1913 year book
of the United States department of ag-
riculture. total $995,S02,954.
OF the grand total of agricultural i'm
ports into the United States, amount
ing to so per person, products aggre-
eating some $630,OO0,OOO, or almost
two-thirds, can be produced as well in
this country, and much of them in the
South.
For instance, America spent abroad
last year for live stock nine and one
half million dollars; for dairy products
ten and one-half millions; for hides
and skins one hundred seventeen mil
lions; for cotton, flax and hemp prod.
ucts thirty millions; for sugar and mo-
lasses one hundred three millions; for
| olive oil seven millions; for vegetables
six millions; for rice and rice products
six millions. The only reason that can
be suggested why these articles are
not produced more extensively in the
South is that, apparently, the people
are so busy raising cotton to buy them
with that they have no time for grow
ing them. Not all the products speci-
fled here are furnished by the nations
at war, but some are thus furnished.
as well as many other products not
named.
We have been buying our imports
with our surplus grain, cotton and
meat products largely, and now find
because the spindles of Europe are
out of commission that large part of
our cotton must be carried by great
loan, and that as little as possible
must be grown next year. The United
Estates should manufacture all those
millions of dollars worth of cotton
products that were imported last year,
and the vast quantity of products
whose base is cotton OIL The impor-
tation of olive oil for salads totaled
$6,739,172 in 1913. A recent improve
ment in the processing of cotton oil
now removes all of the color and
taste, leaving a product equal to the
best olive oil in every respect, vastly
cheaper. Texas sends out of the
State about rs per cent of her cotton
oil meal and cake; if some of the nine
and one-half million dollars worth Of
live stock we imported last year were
grown in Texas, there would be a
profitable use for the cotton seed meal
and cake we ship out at a feeding
price lower than in past years, and
cotton producers and oil men would
receive the benefit.
There is no section of the United
States better able than the South to
supply the demands of the readjust-
ment made necessary by the war, and
no part of the South better--if our
farming is improved and made more
profitable-than Texas. Texas farms
must be made to yield merchantable
crops to the limit of productiveness,
summer and winter alike.
Showing that the necessity for bet
ter and more diversified farming Is
overshadowing this nation-and the
illustration applies with peculiar force
to Texas-a writer in the November
issue of the North American Review
makes these statements:
"In spite of the fact that more than
go per cent of the worlds acreage of
corn is located within our boundaries,
we imported more than 100000
bushels of this cereal from the begin
ming of October, 1913. to the end of
February, 1914. ID. While the miracle
of this seasons wheat crop has again
furnished occasion for agricultural op-
timism, our farming methods will
have to undergo decided improve
ment II our supply of breadstuffs is
to be more than adequate for domestic
consumption"
Estimating consumption at six and
one-half bushels of wheat per person
in the United States. 1t is easy to see
where the people of the world will be
next year If there should be even q
slight falling off of the American crop,
remembering the decreased yields In
foreign countries as a result of the
war. The world has seen bread riots
and may see more. With constant.
| lv increasing population and a steadily