The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-11
Local Data

prominent banker of New York. never | theless has given much thought and l spared no expense in perfecting great | farm on the Connecticut line 30 miles l from New York, so as to show how abun- ! dantly the soil will yield if it is prop i erly nursed,
 l Mir Converse has raised very great l harvests and of all kinds of food prod ucts, including fruit, that can be grown in this latitude. Apparently MT. Yoakum is of the opinion that there should be some method perfected, probably chiefly through the agency of the federal gov ernment and the states, whereby farm hands can be assured of wages as good as, if not better, than those received by so many men who have deserted the
 farms for the intuition factories, Infer
 entially he agrees with George W. Per-
 kins, who Is persuaded that probably the
 chief factor in securing large crops and properly marketing them, will De 1ur-
 nished if the government fixes maximum
 or at least minimum prices for food. Tn
 that way the farmers can be assured or
 reasonable profits. Some of them nave
 doubted lest they be unable by reason Of
 the high cost of living and the abnorma
 expense entailed in cultivatng farms, to
 procure such markets for their grain as
 would yield them reasonable profit
 HARVEST WILL BE GOOD
 From Washington has come report
 that making due allowance for weather
 conditions, the chances are good that the
 yield of winter wheat may not be so small as many have thought certain, but will be at least as large as that of last
 year. The Washington authorities are persuaded that. although it is to early to make any positive prediction respecting the harvest of spring wheat. nevertheless the chances are good that it will be greater than that of last year. Whether 1t be or not it is the opinion in Wash ington that other food supplies. Indian corn, for instance. and very likely pota toes, will be harvester in enormous quan- titles this year.
 The farmers of the United States are already working to their capacity. and are also increasing their capacity of mo- bilizng and co-ordinating so that it is safe now to predict that the agricultural strength and resources of the United States fill comparatively speaking. fully match and be as easily available as, the financial resources of the country.
 WHAT CANADA WILL DO
 When Earl Grey, formerly governor of Canada. visited New York some years ago, he predicted that in the course of 10 or 15 years Canada would offer strong competition to the United States in the export of wheat. Earl Grey was of the opinion that in course of years and with the high development of transportation facilities in western Can ada, the great dominion might be found to be producing more wheat than the United States.
 In that view, Joseph H. Choate, who had visited western Canada, fully con cured. But it was expected that the growth of Canada as an agricultural and food producing nation would be somewhat slow. Now. one of the great surprises of the European war has been the devel- | opment of Canadian agriculture, notwith- | the fact that many thousand | Canadians have enlisted under the British flag. The prospects, so far as any predic- 1 lions can be made at present, are for l great wheat crop in Canada. which with the surplus the United. States may have this year. will be of vast advantage to the allies.
 So encouraging are the reports which have come to Washington from other parts of the country. and particularly just now the information sent to New York by MT Rich. that there seems to be justification for the statement that there is to be no question of a sufficient amount of food harvested upon the North Amer 'can continent for the needs of the allies. | But the vital question which must be an swered this summer and call will. if 1 properly answered. show how adequate te and safe transportation can be secured.