The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-04-04
GOV. HARDING
MEETS FARMERS
Iowa's Executive Talks on Question
of Food and That of Produe-
ton Of Food stuffs
In the State.
MAY USE RIGHT OF WAY
One Railroad in State Already Has
Given Its Property and There
Are 10000 Acres
Available.

LES -EO4-NGS- lOh a pAiA
line With his recent message 10 the
legislature wherein he called Euen-
ton 10 the Importance OF adopting
WAYS and means to promote the in
tensified cultivation and coaserVa-
ton of food stUffs in this time OF
world wide food shortage, Governor
Harding invited a number OF repre-
sentative farmers, secretaries OF agrl-
cultural organizations, agricultural.
experts. secretaries OF commercial
clubs and other societies from var
ions sections Of the state 10 paruci-
pate in a conference in the governor
Office yesterday afternoon. The gath
ertng comprised something over one
hundred men In receiving the as
sembly the governor spoke as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen: You have been in
yited here TO discuss the food supply
shortage in the world. but especially
as 1t effects our own state of Iowa
/ desire briefly 10 outline some OF the
things that IN my Judgment Can be
done at this time that will not only
be humanitarian IN their effect, but
viii greatly benefit all the people OF
our state .-.
"On March i, 1917, the corn supply
II ll- L St6-Cs LAtIHAAC- a1Ns
1860 bushels as compared with
I.1lG.55e. 600 bushels in 1915 The
wheat supply on the farms March
first totaIied I01 ,365 900 bushels as
compared with more than twice as
many bushels year ago. Few, l
think. realize that before the war
We were consuming more food than
we produced and that since the war,
in spite OF greatly increased exports,
ve have consumed about min ety-nine
per cent as much as we produced
There are many ways that the
food stuffs of our state can be in
creased during the next year. One 1s
in gardening. We ought to do every
thing we possibly can to see to 1t
that every plot of ground that is
available is used for gardening. This
requires that some one in the COM
muniIy take charge OF this particular
line OF work The question OF labor
upon the farm is an important one
Local communities can encourage
boys who are in school 10 take work
upon the farm.
already taken steps TO have its right
food stuff. There IS in the neigh
borhood Of sixty thousand acres of
railroad right OF way available in the
state This land might be used by
adjoining farmers, especially for grass
and alfalfa There are ABOUT two |
hundred and fifty thousand acres |
available in the highways Of the state. !
This also ought 10 be used There Is !
in the neighborhood OF two million |
acres of farm land in Iowa that is not |
available now on accoun: OF lack OF |
drainage. The banker can De help /
ful here in advancing money on lib |
eraI terms TO carry on this work. |
There are several thousand acres Of !
peat soil available that could be !
used for timothy or the growing of |
potatoes. The farm lands that are |
already cultivated can have the yield |
increased by using fertilizer and by |
proper care in the testing Of seed. |
This year there has been great |
shortage in potatoes in our own state. |
can be done to assist in |
having seed potatoes on hand for the |
use o: these who desire to plant. |
Railroads can help by seeing that |
cars are available to ship potatoes !!
from the north country where there |
is a good supply. 1t surely would be +!
helpful If an inventory of available |
seed was made 90 that whatever seed !
there is IN the state could be used
10 the greatest advantage. Corn grow
ing contests and canning clubs among |
the children will be helpful. County
gents should make lists of available
feeding and breeding stock in each
These are only few
ways that have been suggested, but
they indicate the wonderful oppor
tUnity that lies at the door of our
people Il seems 10 me that 1t is the
patriotic duty Of every citizen TO
lend his aid and influence in this
Of increased food supply.
AT the same time that we are
ztBdytnz the question o. increased
production We ought also 10 Ike up
the subject OF better and more econ
O,1ic methods OF marketing. This
Is a field that it seems TO me ought
70 have the cooperation Of the best
minds OF our state. Times Ike these
IN world affairs have meaning. II
seems 20 me one OF them is to arouse
the people to greater economy and
efficiency in the production Of food
ztuffs"