The Redwood gazette., 1917-11-21

BY Arthur G. Leonard, President
of the Chicago Union Stock Yds.
Many American farmers are max
ing big mistake. They have mar
keted too many brood sows. and now
they are marketing too many pigs.
The recent market increase in aver
age weight together with a marked
decrease in numbers, has been fol-
lowed by much lighter average weight
and increasing receipts at market.
These facts are significant to those
who study the hog situation.
"A similar mistake is being made in
the marketing Of cattle. Too many
beef cows are being sacrificed, and
too many young cattle and beef steers
/ that are in no better than feeder
condition.
To the average American farmer
the world war is still far off event.
He has been too busy since this coun-
try entered it to be fully aware of
! the meaning of that fact, or to clear
lly realize its tremendous bearing up
on American agriculture.
Thus far he has thought of the war
mainly as it affects the labor neces-
sary to produce and gather the crops
he has planted and their market value.
When he does wake up to the true
4 significance of this great struggle,
i he will see that preservation of breed
i ing stock on farms is one Of the
/ most vital factors to all the people
/ of every nation. in order that the
worlds rapidly disappearing supply
of meats, wool and leather may be
replenished. Everything points to a
continuance of the war for some
time to come. The worlds needs will
increase as the war goes on. 1t is
not plain that the demands upon ag-
riculture for food and clothing will
grow greater and greater with each
month of destruction; that it will
be impossible to produce an adequate
! supply, especially of animal prod
i ucts. such as meats, leather and
wool, unless breeding herds are main
i tanned, and that such demands and
the need for breeding stock ITO re-
plenish the wasted herds and f1ocks
will continue long after the war
ceases; that this country must be
i looked to mainly for such supplies
and breeding stock. and chat those
i American farmers who are wise
i enough to realize this fat and pre-
pare for the worlds coming greatest
/ needs which are inevitable, will reap
/ the greatest rewards for their fore
sight, in both money and the graft
tude of their fellow men?
| The short-sighted policy, which
! strangles the bird in hand and lets
those in the bush fly away; which,
for the sake of few extra dollars
now. sacrifices breeding stock and
thereby destroys the foundation for
supplying the worlds future needs,
not only deprives this nation OF vital
necessities in its struggle to help the
world but also takes away the foun-
| dation for the abundant profits that
i would otherwise be the sure reward
for waiting and developing the OPP
i portunity which is thus afforded.
Without sufficient seed, there can
be no adequate crop of any kind. A
world scarcity and greatly increased
needs everywhere for all animal prod
lucts can have but one meaning, and
i that is sustained market prices for
| all kinds Of live stock during the
war and for years after.
/ In measuring the farmers sup
posed advantage in selling his old
corn and animals separately at pres
i ent prices for both, the effects of this
i short-sighted policy upon the future
corn market. as well as on future hog
prices, should be given careful con-
sideration.
All authorities agree that about
eighty per cent Of the total annual
corn crop of the United States IS fec
, to live stock, about thirty per cent
being fed to hogs in the principal
corn belt states.
That leaves only about twenty pei
cent. or less than 100000, 900 bushels
to be marketed as corn.
Now, suppose that only seventy
per cent Of the entire corn crop were
fed to live stock, which would leave
ten per cent of same, or about 30O,