Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-05-16
The Food Situation.

J60LlOU
we must all raise more crops this /
wear. Since that time numerous con- |
ferences and meetings have been held |
throughout the country and the fact |
has been brought out again and again
that this country and the world at
large was never found with food sup
plies so low or danger of a world
famine so great as at the present
time We can hardly realize that |
the latter condition could ever exist |
but unless the farmers of this cOun- |
try respond to the call for greater
production our armies and our people,
as well as the peoples of the world,
will be in danger of famine and pos
sibly of yet worse fate-submisslon
to a hated aristocracy! An army
must have food to fight its battles
successfully and with the great waste
in foodstuffs which war brings, more
food per capita will be required than
ever before.
Doubtless one of the great causes
for the German retreat before the
armies of the Allies is due to lack of
food-an inability, on empty stom-
achs, to resist or fight as well as
their enemies.
A few statements as to the situa-
ton in crops will be pertinent at this
time Last year the United States
consumed 613 bushels of wheat per
capita-this wheat being used in the
form of breakfast foods, flour, etc.
This country also exported wheat to
the amount of 21a bushels per capita,
making a real total of 81 bushels
that was used per capita. And we
produced only 6 bushels per capita!
This is like man with money in the
l. l. Il IT, I.
earns A day of reckoning will come
when money gone he will be face to
face with disaster We raised ten
bushels of wheat per capita year be-
fore last and that is the bank account
upon which we drew last year and are
still drawing on. Such condition
cannot long exist. We must replen-
ish our "bank account" or at least
make the production of crops raised
equal the consumption and exporta-
ton. Wheat represents in a general
way the decline in stocks on hand of
all our staple crops.
| The stocks of corn on hand are con-
sidered to be 35 or 40 per cent less
than the average, while potatoes are
| so per cent less. These figures mean
much more when we consider the mil
| lions of men upon the firing line
across the waters who have been pro-
ducers, but are now large consumers
| The situation is serious, indeed, but
/ every farmer must look at it from
his own standpoint. He should ask
himself, Chow many more acres of
crops can put in this year efficient
! ly 2" "What crops can / raise to feed
my family or my stock?" He must
work out the problem on his particu-
lar farm and not try to raise all the
crops or carry out all the ideas rec
commended. Let us use the best of
I Judgment at this time.
The Labor Question.
] Many men will grow an increased
acreage of crops provided they have
the help, but there is tremendous
shortage of farm labor. A number
of things are being done to relieve
this situation to some extent. High
school boys, agricultural school boys,
and college students, all with farm
training, are going back to work on
the farms without waiting for the
close of the schools in June. These
men will receive the same credit as if
they had remained in school and
those that are due to finish their
course will be graduated on the same
basis as those who remain at their
studies. Within the past month a
man has been appointed in this state
with headquarters at Burlington to
take charge of the labor question and
he will endeavor to bring together
the men available to work on the
farm and the farmers wanting labor.
In some sections of the state fac
tories are willing to release during
the seeding, growing and harvest sea-
son such men as have had farm
training and could be used to advan-
tage. The details of all this work
have not been perfected as yet but
any men in need of help are request
ed to notify the county agent, stating
the wages they would expect to pay,
how long they would need the man
and the number of crop acres on their
farm this year. This last is impor-
tant for if man has but few acres
and cannot use hired man Efficient
ly, it is better that this man hire out
TO some farmer making good use of
his time on large acreage. No
guarantees are made In this connec-
tion-the county agent will simply do
all IN his power to secure men for
farm labor. Four men already have
been secured within the last month
for farms in this county through the
office of the Agricultural association.
1t IS not at all improbable that ere
another harvest season comes around
men will have been enlisted for ag-
ricultural work and gangs of labor
ers will be transported from one har-
vest area to another as the season adj
vances. No young man upon the
farm now need feel it his duty to en-
list when he can be of even greater
value where he is. A man NAV be
trained for warfare In six or eight
months-ity requires years to give
many men the training which they
have in agricultural work The pres
ent proposed system Of seIective
draft by the government lis taking
this fact into consideration. Every
man who remains upon thefarm and
gives of the best that is in him to
produce crops is rendering as great
and as patriotic a service to his