Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-13
STATE TORASE
BIG FOOD SUPPLY
Oats, Corn, Barley, Potatoes
and Beans Will Be Planted in
Great Quantities

emergency call for greater produc-
ton of farm crops is to be to raise
oats, corn, barley, buckwheat, pota-
toes and navy beans, according to the
outlines of plans made. by the con.
ference of the agricultural chiefs of
the country in conference at st.
Louis this week.
Secretary of Agriculture Charles E.
Patton returned from st. Louis to-
day and with Professor M. S. Mac
Dowell, of State College, held a con-
ference with Governor Brumbaugh
this morning relative to the food sit
uation in Pennsylvania.
The work of increasing the food
supply and forming effective organi-
cations to handle it will be only a
minor part of the zig task which
the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture has before it to help the
government in the present war crisis
Great Emergency
Secretary Patton said to-day:
The sitpation that confronts our
country is a great emergency. Upon
the farmer rests in large measure
the final responsibility on winning the
war in which we are now involved.
The Importance to the nation of an
adequate food supply, especially for
the present year, cannot be over
emphasized. The worlds food re-
serve Is very low. Not only our own
consumers, but much of the world at
large, must rely more completely
than ever before upon the American
farmer. Therefore, the man who tills
the soil and supports the soldier in
the field, and the family at home, is
rendering as noble and patriotic a
service as Is the man who bears the
brunt of battle.
The American farmer has long
shown his ability to produce more
food per man and at lower cost per
unit than any other farmer in the
world, but he has never had to do his
best. He needs TO do his best now.
This is not the time in which to ex-
pertinent with new and untried crops
and processes. 1t is very important
that the farmer devote his principal
efforts to the production of such
crops and the employment. of such
methods as are well established in
his community and as are likely to
yield the maximum return in food
and clothing material. For this rea-
son l urge the cooperation of the
press the commercial organizations,
the religious and the social societies,
that all may heartily join with the
farmer in performing the patriotic
duty of providing and conserving
food.
at the conference of the agricul-
tural chiefs of the county at st.
Louis the climatical conditions of
each section of the country was
| carefully studied. and Pennsylvania
has been called upon by the nation
to concentrate its efforts by increas-
! ing the corn area for a greater out
put of human food and animal pro-
duction; to plant fields where winter
wheat has been killed to oats and
| corn. to plant oats and barley where
they are reliable crops, to increase
the acreage and production of buck
wheat in which PENNSYLVANIA leads
all other States of the Union, to in
crease the acreage in potatoes and
to make extensive increases in the
production of navy Leans.
Must Mobilize Labor
1--WE must be careful not to en-
croach too much on the pasturage
and hay lands required for livestock
production as this branch of agri-
culture must be increased to it's ut
most by better methods of feeding
and complete control of contagious
diseases. I most respectfully urge
ewes
and to bring about the greatest wool
production the State has ever known.
Our men in the field will need to be
clothed and the wool production of
the country does not begin to meet
our home consumption. There should
be considerable increase in the
milk production and every possible
effort should be made to double
poultry products. Contagious dis
eases of farm animals take a toll of
over one-quarter of a billion dollars
annually in our country, and more
thanhalf of this loss is due to con-
trollable diseases such as hog cholera.
| am calling upon our Livestock San
itary Board to bend every effort to
keep down spread of animal diseases
this year. but close cooperation must
come from the farmers and the pub
lie.
"Our plan for public defense must
include provisions for mobilizing farm
lamor and as definite a provision for
enlistment for food supply as for
service at the front must be con-
sidered. There are hundreds of
thousands of boys in the cities and
towns between the ages of 10 and 10
years not now engaged in productive
work that should be available in this
emergency and can be enrolled for
agricultural purposes. One of the
pldnS worked out at the ST. Louis
conference was for the enlistment
for agricultural purposes of three dis
tinct classes of labor:
Men beyond the military age.
Men of military age. but not ac-
cepted for active military duty.
Boys under age for enlistment.
"All communities should take inn
mediate steps for district self-support
and no community should he without
an ample supply of canned and pre-
served perishable products. In this
manner alone the comm mercial food