Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-05-06


close fit against domestic requirements
sumption. seed carry-over and afforded nothing
in the way Of surplus out Of which a reasonable
amount of exports could be drawn.
THE DRAIN UPON OUR GRAIN STOCKS
With such a crop out-turn for 1915 in the United
States for the period up to the harvesting of the
crop Of 1917 was obvious that the important
importing countries of the world should look else
where than to us for their supplies. This however,
was not to be; the contrary, the needs of these
countries greater than before while the pro-
duction of the other food exporting has been
disastrously small in comparison with that recent
normal years. while at least of these countries
Russia and Rumania-are to very large extent cut
off from any expectation Of foodstuffs by reason of
the war situation. Accordingly we have been sub
3ected to an nsistent demand for considerable por-
lions OF this supply for export and under conditions
such that we could not well refuse to let 1t CO.
1t became apparent when the department OF agri-
culture early in March issued its estimates the
supplies of the different grains still remaining on the
farms or held in mills elevators that a drain upon
our stocks of more than ordinary proportions must
have been going during the previous eight months
The situation was revealed of the supply of the
basic foodsuffs in the United States already reduced
to an unprecedingly low level and certain
to be reduced to still lower by the export COM
mltments In existence and remaining to be filled be-
lore 'he out-turn OF the new crop Of 1917 could be
known Moreover the severity of the condition
much aggravated by the lamentabe shortness of the
countrys potato crop in 1916-the potato supply be-
ing virtally exhausted by the of February 1917;
by the falling off of the milk butter supply due
to the scarcity and high price mill feeds and corn
the Use of which most dairymen found it necessary
to reduce to forego by the similar relative decline
in the supply of and poultry due to the same
cause and by the high cost Of meats animal pro-
ducts induced by the excessive the grain re-
CURED to fatten cattle and swine
CONCRETE FIGURES OF THE SHORTAGE
IL mad been known that crop production in the
tente countres-except Russia commercially isolated
by the war-was lamentably small in 1916 The COM
bination of an unpropitious season with the with
drawa of large proportion of the skilled farm work.
es for war service had produced severer effects than
had been anticipated. We had heard ALSO that ehe
prospect of the winter wheat crop of 1917 in the en-
tente countries was unpromisng, owing both to re-
duced acreage and a poor crop condition hroueb+
about partly by insufficient preparation and part
iy by the abnormally severe winter What all this
ihieht mean Tor ourselves. however not appre-
clated until we began to get concrete figures of the
shortage-present and prospective that must some
how be filled. unless the entente countries were to
be reduced virtually the same plight as blockaded
Germany and Austria.
Fran
the land Of expert satsticians On March O. NJ Victor
Boret president of the agricultural committee nre
sented to the French chamber of deputies careful est
mates of the quantity of wheat which France ba-
self and allied and neutral coutres would imperati,e
~ need Tor the crop of 1915 after all DOS
sipie oinlhutlon or consumption through govern
'iiei' 'oh'roi OF distribution and prices had been
accomplished and also of the supplies in wheat-ex
porting countries from which the requirements must
oe met M. borets estimates Tin support of which
he had the authority Of French agriculture,
expert. NJ Joseph Jugy a member of the French aer
cultural commisson) were positively alarming in re-
spect of both sides Of the account The what ae,.
or France alone in 1918, according to M Rore+ ,,o,a
oe minimum OF l27,0O0000 bushels while for all the
importing allied and neutral countries of Europe the
oeio' W DC iiied by imported wheat would be from
''''V'oo 70 o'o'ooo'ooo bushels On the other hand
the maximum amount which the overseas exnortirg
countries could be estimated at that time to be able
10 supply was from 36o,O00.00o to $40 600 ooo busb
Putting the best possible face on the figures said
M. Boret an absolute and unfillable deficit of 1so
100000 to 21ooOOOO0 bushels Of wheat remained for
entente and neutral countries of Europe to deal with
as best they might. His own suggestion was that
these countries should endeavor to replace from az
TO 40 per cent OF their wheat requirements by other
grains at the same time that they carried their food
economies to greater lengths than thew had he
fore thought possible.
These estimates Of M. Boret, when cabled to the
United States gave start of apprehension to our
more serious students Of agricultural economies In
the eyes Of these experts the maIign possibilities for
this country of such world food situation as M
Boret outlined were apparent. Moreover these stu
dents realized that NJ taken no account in
his figures of the food requirements of Germany and
Austria, or of the effect upon the worlds food stu
alton should the to an end during 1917 Yet
obviously. If this most desirable of all events were
to occur. there must be instant demand from fam