The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-08-24

, high range of prices for meat and for
animal products for many years to
come. We must undertake to meet the
demand, not only during the war so
as to enable our allies to continue to
fight, but we ust be prepared to meet
the demand after the war. Our herd
cannot be increased in a single night
or IN single year Our producers will
not only be working in their own ulti-
mate interest in laying the foundation
of larger herds and flocks, but will
serve our national interest and the
interest of humanity, for years to
come, if the best strains of young ami
mails are preserved. This increase in
herds can only be accomplished if we
save more of our roughage and raise
more fodder grains. 1t is worth noting
that after the war Europe with les
sened herds will, pending their recup-
Grafton require less fodder and will
therefore produce more bread grains
and import less of them, so that we
can, after the war, safely reduce our
bread grain production so as to in
crease our fodder. But we must lay
our foundation in the meantime to
increase our herds.
One Immediate Solution.
There is only one immediate solu-
ton to the short supply of meat for
export pending the increase in our
herds and focks which will take years.
During the course of the war, we can,
just as with the cereals, reduce the
consumption and eliminate the waste,
particularly among those classes which
can best afford it. In the meantime, in
order to protect all of our people, we
must carefully eontrol our meat ex-
ports in order that the peonle shall not
be denied this prime necessity of life.
The hog is the most efficient of
machines for the production of animal
fat. The hog not only makes more fat
from given amount of feed, but also
the products made are specially cap
able of preservation and most econom-
ical for commercial handling.
The swine of Europe are rapidly de-.
creasing and the consumption demand
induced by the war is much in
creased, and this particularly because
bacon, ham and lard are so adaptable
for military supplies. Moreover, our
allies are isolated from many markets
and large amount from northern
neutrals is being diverted to Germany.
While our hogs have increased in
by 100000 animals. the
average weight at slaughter is falling
and our production is probably only
about maintained. The increasing de-
mand upon us since the war began is
shown by the following figures of
comparative exports:
Three-year, pre-war period, 1885,
614,000 lbs.
Year ending June 80, 1916, 1,512,375,-
900 lbs.
Lakes Rich in Food.
The waters of our coasts and lakes
are enormously rich in food fish and
shell fish. Our streams, too, contribute
a great quantity of fish. Many varie
ties are now not used for human food
but are thrown away or used for fertil-
izer. Habit has confined our use OF
fish to few varieties, and inadequate
methods of commercial handling have,l
limited our use of these largely to only
certain days in the week. With better
facilities, with better I'M
of how to use the most
varieties, with proper preservation by
smoking and sailing and by establish
ing plants for frozen fish, we can in
crease greatly our supply and thus re-
lieve largely the pressure due to the
supply of meat. We only
have to harvest our own fish supply.
1t feeds ITSELF Every fish eaten is that
much gained in solving the present
problem of living. The products of the
land are conserved by eating those of
the sea.