New Britain herald., 1917-12-08
HOUSTON REPORT
 IS INTERESTING
Tells Congress That Farm and Livestock Must Be Stimulated

Washington. Dec. 8.-With record crops grown this year the nations farm and livestock production must be simulated to still higher eff1- clency during the coming twelve months if domestic demands and the needs of the Allies are to be ade- quately met, Secretary Houston says in his annual report to Congress today.
 That the farmers of the Nation have generously responded to the ap- peals for increased production, and that much has already been done to insure large supply of foods and feedstuffs,' says the report, "justif1es no let-down in their activities or in those of all agricultural agencies On the contrary, even greater efforts must De put forth in the coming months. There must be no breakdown on the farms, no failure of foods, feed stu1S or clothing. I cannot empha- Slze too strongly the urgent necessity ~of doing everything possible to bring about still further increase in the production of all essential commodi- ties, particularly of the staple crops and livestock"
 Confidence in the ability of the farmers to meet the unusual emergen- cy caused by Americas entrance into the war is reiterated by the Secre- tary. Their willing cooperation since April has been prolific of encouraging crop increases, he says, and there is no doubt but that they have a complete and ready comprehension of the de- mands to be supplied as the war pro- ceeds.
 'The spirit revealed by the farmers and the results of their efforts during the present year," he says, indicate that they recognize the responsibility resting upon them in this emergency I am confident that they will patrioti- cally continue to assume and to bear their full share of the country's bur den.
 "The farmers of the nation have al- ways shown their devotion to the cause of freedom and have not been slow to respond to the country's call for men and means defend it's l rights.
 "As it becomes more obvious that 1 the surest way to force righteous peace is to employ effectively all the resources of the nation, the farmers will increasingly put forth their strength, send their sons to fight at
 the front and see to it that neither this nation, nor those with which we 1 are associated lack anything in the | way of materials for food and cloth ing"
 ! While the precise figures for meat, | poultry, dairy products and vegetable
 oils are not yet available, the secre-
 tary estimates that the quantity of
 these commodities is greater than for ] 1915 and 1916.
 Billion Increase.
 An increase of billion bushels over
 the five year pre-war average was ef- fected in this years crop of staples. 1 UnreVised estimates contained in the
 report as follows: 3,191,OOO, 1000
 bushels of corn. 659.797,OOO of wheat, 1 1,5SO,00O,000 of oats, POI, ,659,OO0 of
 barley, 56,OOO,O0O of rye, 16, 5000 of 1 buckwheat, 33,256,0OO of rice, 73. ESQ.,
 900 of kaf1r, 39,686,0O0 of Irish po- tatoes. 84,727,OOO of sweet potatoes,
 15,957,O ,O0O of commercial beans 42,-
 6O6, 900 of peaches, il, ,419, ,0OO of pears
 177,733, 900 of apples and 7.621, 900 of sugar beets.
 | "The number of milch cows and 1 other cattle," the report adds, "has shown an increase during the last four or five years, the estimate for the former for the present year be- ing 23,9O6,0 900 as against 22,768,000 year ago and 2O,497,OO0 in 1913, before the European war began, while that for the cattle is 43,291, ,00O as against 40, O,849;OO0 a year ago and &C., | O3O, ,O0O in 1913. Unfortunately, the number of sheep continues to decline; 1 the estimate for 1917 is only 46,O59,- 900 as against 4S,483,O0O year ago 1 and 51,482,OOO in 1913. It is esti- mated that the number of hogs, which 1 during recent years has shown an upward tendency. decreased over 100000, or from 67,543,OO0 to 62,- 747,OOO.
 "In considering the whole meat situation it should be kept in mind that there is a close relationship be- tween the production of live stock and the supply of feedstuffs and that for more than a year past there has been relative shortage of grains and of forage. The large production of these necessaries during the pres ent crop season should conduce to more satisfactory conditions for the producers of live stock and should, other things being equal, tend to bring about an increase.
 "But with the destruction of live stock in Europe and the great de- with consequent greatly increased ex- ports from this country, 1t is clear that the supply will not be adequate for the domestic needs and for those of the nations with which we are as- &ociated in the war.