The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-18
FOOD SHORTAGE IN MEXICO NOT
 EXPECTED NOW
Department of Agriculture Reports Suficiency For
 Current Year.

Mexico, City, Sept. 1s.-The pro- duction of food-stuffs in Mexico for the current year has obviated any.
 chance of shor tage according to the
 department Of agriculture. The crops
 are said to be not only sufficient to
 prevent famine but to make Mexico
 practically inGependent of impo-ta-
 tion of food-stuffs from other coun- tries. although a certain amount of corn and flour will continue to be imported into the northern states from the United, States because of super
 for facilities, for transportation to those localities. "
 The crops, 1t is admitted, will not
 reach normal production but will be
 sufficient to allow a certain amount of exporiat:on. The question of food supply is one of eistiibution rather than production. anG if will be ne ,ss- sary tc transport to the more barren
 states products from those localities
 where normal CT rcarly normal crop. lrev2il. Tt is poinied out that while soiie und"ubtdely died of starvation in the capital las. year, this was dns
 not to shortage o. feed but .J tho |impossihility of 0.:,cueiely transport ing what was aruilaljc.
 Within the last few months. aecord- ing to the department officials, means of transportation have increased many field. Regular train service has been esumed ot only with the t;rit..i States borcer but between interior points and railroads which have leen
 idle fer an extended period have re- surned operation. II% The corn crop. the great Mexican food staple. will be good in all portions
 of the Republic except Zacatecas, Dur ango. Chihuahua and San Luis To- tosi. In each of these states disturo-
 ed ccndit'e ns have not only prevent
 cd planting but have loft the farmers
 with an inadequate srl'Ily of ssed corn. In the other states 10 the yntl-
 able supply large amount of old ( rn
 hitherto held for large price advances. The bean crcp, according to deI.art-
 mental reports. while not a Bumper onc will be sufficien. to permit ;hs, exportarion of old belns, the ernbar- gc on tho foreign safe of which re- gently was removed by a decree of
 the First Chef. In connection with tse bean crc,., officials of the depart
 nient declare that ths shortage If
 crops in Durango is due solely to the
 speculative operations cf panch Vl,s'
 In the last two years. When the Con- s,itutionalis. movement took form in
 1913. the ,;ch farmers abandoned tneir ranches and fled to Mexico City.
 The poor rXcrle who had worked on tsese properties, howe -er. proceeded to raise a. tremendous crop of beans
 winch were stored throughout tho r.. sr E- tt.t~ ply and shipped it to the United States
 for sale leaving not even enough for seed supply. It is estimated he ship ptd over 1,500.000 bushels of beans
 aud pffioia.s say the state never has recovered froEt the sc .r:ity which re- suited.
 The production of cotton. it is ad-
 n,tted by the department of agricdl-
 ture, will fail 60 per cent. below nor ma, but reports from the Laguna dts
 trict as to the amount of water now
 in the streams which in some seasons aye entirely dry. indicatts a full crop
 iie xt year. ~
 There is a great need among the
 farmers for Eew parts of the m:rs simple types of agricultural machin- cry and the department of agriculture
 TOW is preparing a plan whereby such supplies as rlowpointg ani other ma
 chipery parr, will be bought in latgc quantities bv the government and told at cost to the small farmers.
 Efforts already are being made by the government to establish a system of farm loans. In C,lima a commis- sioE has been Ioppoin.c.l 10 disbarsc
 SOC, ,0OO pesos provided by the govern
 ment amony the more needy smsI farmers of the states. Sinilar orgd al.
 zalons are Icing formed in other parts of the :epublic.