The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-10
Food Crops of Nation
Must Be Increased
War Demands and World Food Shortage Should be Net
by American Farmers Efficient Production Imperi-
tive What Crops Should be Stressed and Where.


spring wheat states where it is
| chiefly grown, the acreage or max
should be Increased to the greatest
Expand the Corn Acreage.
Corn. is the leading food and feed
crop OF the United States in geographic
range OF production. acreage ana
Quantity of product. The vital i'm
portance Of a large acreage or this
crop properly cared for, therefore. Is
obvious. Because of the prices OBJ
tanned for the last crop and the worio
demand for this grain. its prontaple-
ness to the American farmer during
| the approaching season is clear. the
| 105, 900 acres planted TO corn IN
1916 yielded 2,5S3, 100000 bushels OF
more than 10000. 900 bushels less than
the large crop OF 1915 - 2,SS4,iSS,Vvv
bushels-and considerably less than
the five-year average - 2.fSz,4od.UvV
bushels Conditions now warrant me
planting OF the largest acreage or TINS
crop which ii is possible to hanoie
effectively.
ssAlthough fan is the proper time for
breaking sod for corn. there are many
unproductive and foul meadows ana
Indifferent pastures in Illinois, !nolanas
Ohio, and the middle Atlantic and
northeastern states that, under exist
ing conditions can be broken now TO
advantage and planted to corn. Inc
resulting reduction of hay ana
pasture would be more than replaced
by the corn stover, ensilaRe, and grain
produced, Corn as q cultivated crop
has been found well suited to replace
summer following in portions or WASH
ington, Idaho. Oregon, Wyoming. ana
Montana, the forage and grain pro-
duced not materially reducing the sue
ceeding grain crops.
Plant Early and Reduce Risk.
90 x@R f1fri farfnTz
being equal, is advantageous in the
case of practically all grain crops
Relatively early maturing yarietieS
should be selected where possible, ana
the planting should be done at the
earliest suitable date. With the small
grains an advance OF three or lou.
days in stage of maturity frequently
saves a crop from serious damage by
rusts. With corn similar advantage
is obtained by early maturity when
severe droughts are encountered ana
when killing frosts occur toward the
end of the season. Corn grown on the
rich bottoms which constitute the best
corn lands often is damaged by
temporary overflow. If corn has an
early start however, it usually viii at.
tain a size which will make 1t possible
to Withstand overflows with less dam
age! Early paintings Of corn II some
what damaged by flood or frost, can pc
with profit. If seed of early -maturtng
varieties is secured in advance or the
time when needed.
Cowpeas and Soy Beans Valuable For
Food.
'"The usefulness Of cowpeas and soy
beans as human food has been recog
nized only recently in this country.
Existing conditions warrant the
planting of all the available seed Of
varieties known to do well In the sew
eral sections. The soy bean. in
particular, has proved sufficiently
resistant to cold in spring and to adj
verse weather during summer to war
rant heavy planting, especially
throughout the south:
Potatoes and Vegetables. -
"Seed potatoes should be conserved by
planting on the best lands available
for them and planning for thorough
tillage and protection of the crop
against disease and insect pests. Pos
tatoes can be grown most advantage
ously near the centers of population
In the northern states where trans-
portation cost may be reduced to
minimum. This crop is capable OF
quick and large increase of produc-
ton when conditions are favorable.
There is, however, considerable risk
of Improbable production of potatoes
when they are grown at long distances
from the consuming markets, owing
to their disproportionate weikht and
bulk of the product in comparison
with the cereals.
''Such vegetable crops as carrots,
rutabaga, turnips, onions, and cabbag-
IS are worthy of much more attention
than they generally receive, espe-
cially in the eastern United States. All
these crops are capable or large pro-
iuction on suitable land under In
tensive culture throughout the more ;
densely populated portions OF the
The supply OF seed is ample
and their culture relatively simple,
The holding of these vegetables for
the winter food supply is relatively
easy where suitable inexpensive pits,
cellars, or lofts are prepared in time.
The practicibility Of quickly drying
for longer preservation was
on a large scale last
year in western New York, where
quantities were dried in the available
apple evaporators and in quickly con-
structed dry kilns for export as army
supplies. This was repetition Of the
experience of the civil war period
when desiccated vegetables assumed
Importance in the army
ration and the equipment required for
their preparation proved the fore
runner OF our present fruit drying
Existing conditions war
rant heavier planting than usual OF
staple winter vegetables in the Sec
tons where canneries and fruit evaps
orators exist and probably in some
sections where the provision of such
facilities later in the season may be
Justified.
''In the southern half OF the country
perhaps no crop has larger POSSIBLE
ties for quick increase of production
of food for both men and animals
han the sweet potato. Methods OF
handling and storing this product
and advocated by the
workers for several years
make possible much fuller utilization
81 this crop than has occurred gener-
ally in the past.
suu fslaamea fov Muwer..