Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-04-08

Big Crops Expected This Year.
AS far as the crops of 1915 are con
cerned, the government looks forward
with confidence to a larger harvest
than that of 1913. The acreage sowed
to winter wheat and rye is up to last
years figures. There had been some
fear that sending millions of men tc
the front would so denude the farms
that planting would be held back. But
nature was most generous, with balmy
fall weather, which lasted almost I'M
til Christmas. This made it possible
for the decreased farm population tc
finish its work
In addition there is promised an in
creased acreage in spring planting
The rights of way along the railroads
throughout the empire are to be
planted, as far as possible, in pota
toes. These will be planted at the
cost of the railroads and turned over
to the employees for their personal
use.
Large areas of private domains
which have not been cultivated will be
used this year On the famous Luene
burger Heath extensive operations are
to be undertaken to make the land
arabic.
Prisoners to Be CuItivators.
For this purpose prisoners of war
are to be used. In the same way Rus
sian prisoners on the eastern frontier
will be pressed into service to in,
crease production there. They were
used to some extent last fall to
harvest the potato crop. In France
and Belgium the German soldiers
have been helping to plant crops.
Probably the most interesting fea,
lures of this problem of food conserva,
ton are the arrangements that have
been made with reference to the grain
supply. Last fall the imperial govern.
ment, the cities of the empire with
more than 100000 population and
some of the larger industrial organi.
cations subscribed a capital of $13,-
100000 to buy up grain supplies. 1t
was the intention of the government
to lay aside sufficient grain to carry
the nation from May Is to the next
harvest
BY careful financiering in the way
of loans on grain bought to make pos,
sible further purchases, this organiza-
ton has accumulated approximately
100000 tons of wheat and rye. This,
it is figured, would have carried the
nation to the harvest with a surplus OF
10 per cent. However, when it was
found that the present consumption
increased too rapidly the government
decided on it's order of January under
which all of the grain and flour sup
plies of the empire are put into the
hands of this organization.
Communities Direct Distribution.
It will pay for supplies at the max
imum price" fixed by the government
last fall for grain transactions. II
will then allot to each community an
amount equivalent to 20 pounds a per
son and the community government
will be intrusted with it's individual
distribution. The communities must
pay in the internal organization the
cost price, plus interest and milling.
A special premium of 10 per cent re-
bate is provided on the amounts saved
by communities out of their allow
ances.
Certain important restrictions have
been imposed by the government up
on the community distribution. All
wheat bread must contain at least 20
per cent of rye -four. All rye bread
must contain at least 10 per cent Of
potatoes. No cake is to be baked that
contains more than 10 per cent of
-four. 1 am not enough Of a culinary
expert to say what kind Of cake this
will make.
In addition the communities have