The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-11

step toward preparedness in connection with
the participation of the United States in
the war has proceeded more rapidly than the
mobilization of the farm resources of the middle
West, which just now is preparing itself for the
task of feeding not only the United States, but a
large part of the world.
Despite the fact that the call to the fields
came too late to affect the winter wheat crop,
the middle Western farmer has made tremendous
advances in increasing the acreage Of his other
food crops, such as corn, oats, rye and other farm
products. Present indications are that the wheat
crop will not be large enough to much more than
meet the needs of America, let alone the expor-
tation of large quantities of this product which
must be made to the allies, but famine is still a
distant specter. For the first time in its history
the world is going to learn a valuable lesson in
domestic economy, and that is the adaptation of
other farm products for food purposes. One Of
the first results will be a worldwide campaign
to dethrone King Wheat and enthrone King Corn,
whose monarchy heretofore has scarcely extend
ed beyond the boundaries of the United States.
The bumper corn crop which the middle West
will raise this summer, barring such unforeseen
calamities as drought and floods, will stave off
hunger for a large portion of the world. Pres
ent indications are that the corn acreage in the
IL great corn states Of the country will be in
creased from 20 to 80 per cent, or even more in
some localities, due to the fact that thousands Of
acres of winter wheat lands were made useless
for that purpose by the severe cold weather,
which killed the wheat. An increase Of 20 per
cent in the acreage planted in corn will add APP
~proximately SOC. 1000, 900 bushels of corn to the
nations crop. A large portion Of this increased
yield will go to European allies of the United
States and to neutral nations. 1t Is probable that
Uncle Sam will have to send some of his experts
in domestic science abroad to instruct the Euro
pean in the value and methods of preparing corn
as a food product.
The nations corn crop has averaged 100000
600 bushels in the last few years, a no inconsid-
cradle mark in itself. but reports collected by ag-
ricultural experts from the middle West indicate
that the 1917 crop will approximate 3,5OO,OOO'OOO
bushels. The banner corn states of the Union
are prepared to do their share in the drive for
Increased food production. Conservative estimates
of what some of the leading states in the corn
belt region will do this year are: Illinois, 400
DOC. 1000 bushels; Iowa, 325,0O0,0 900 to 350,000,OO0
bushels; Nebraska, 250,000,OO0 bushels; Missouri,
225. 100000 bushels; Indiana, 200,000,000 bushels,
and Texas, 200,OO0,000 bushels. Such middle
Western states as Minnesota, South Dakota,
North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan will have
greatly increased acreages of corn this season,
due to several reasons. In the Western group Of
states which lie In the heart of the wheat belt
thousands Of acres of winter wheat were killed
during the winter. Despite the fact that the
spring wheat acreage planted this year is unusu-
ally larger, there still remained many thousands
of acres of land which could be used for no other
purpose than for corn or oats, two Of the leaders
In the great trio of farm crops.
The harvest this summer Is likely to see a rec
ord-breaking crop of oats, approximating 2,OOO'
600, 600 bushels. Tremendous increases will also
be made In the rye, kafr corn sorghum and for
age crops. all Of which are important factors in
supplying the tables of the world with important
food products. 1t is this latter activity In plant
ing greatly increased acreages of the minor crops
that is expected to bring on a small revolution in
farming circles. Instead of depending upon one,
two or three of the big trio Of crops, the farmer
is devoting his energy to the growing of other
crops which supplement. the food products gained
from wheat, corn and oats. Thus, In the case of
q failure of any of the important crops, America
will have plenty Of substitutes to fall back upon.
Already food chemists and experts in almost all
of the middle Western states are busily engaged
in finding new flour substitutes. Discoveries
made in a number of laboratories indicate that
Americas bread will be baked with the aid OF
more varieties of -four than ever before. Kahr
corn and feterita have been found to make ac-
ceptable 6ours, and the use of cottonseed meal
in the preparation of breadstuffs will soon gain
widespread popularity. Chemists are engaged on
other still hunts for new food substitutes, and by
the end of the year America will be eating scores
of new foods and combinations OF foodstufs
which have been wasted heretofore or fed to live
stock.
Emergency food commissions established in all
of the states are conducting an aggressive cam