The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-03

adding 1t to the winter wheat acre
age. we have approximately $4,000
600 acres. or practically the same as
the record acreage of 1915. What
the yield per acre may be will de-
pend largely on the weathe- condi-
tons. The average Of the SIN lowest
yields per acre since 1894 wac 12.5
bushels. This would give us $4,000
600 bushels of wheat The average
yield for the five years down to the
record crop year of 1915 was l4.9
bushels. This would give us $40 000.-
600 bushels OF wheat The average
for five years including the record
crop was 16.5 bushels. This would
give us 914.000.000 bushels A yield
equal TO that of 1914 of 1876 bushels
would give us 979,000,000 bushels,
while a yield equal to that OF the
record crop year would give us L.
900. 100000.
Situation TN the South
The department of agriculture has
done all 1t could prudently do to call
attention to the desirability of adjust
ing tho supply of different sorts of
agricultural mmodiues to the de-
mand. AS / have said, farmers are
doing their own thinking and will not
submit to anybody's dictation. In the
South, in particular, the department
has waged a persistent campaign for
some years to bring about better
agriculture, to stimulate the local
production of an ampler supply Of
foodstuffs.
The South has heretofore been too
dependent on corn and cotton. 1t has
put too many of it's eggs in one bas-
ket Although It IL largely agricul-
tural, II has imported in the neigh
borhood of six or seven hundred mil
lion dollars worth of foodstufrs from
the West. 1t lie clearly good economy
for the South TO supply her own food
stuffs and feedstuffs and It is certain
" safer practice for her TO do SO.
The department, the agricultural col
Ieges. and many other agencies,
through the daily press, the agrlcul-
tural journals, the bankers and bust
ness men, farmers associations bull
letins and circulars. and the farm
demonstration machinery reaching
into many parts Of the South. have
urged the necessity of a better bal
anced agriculture and the wisdom of
largely increasing foodstuffs
There has been Il tendency over
several years for the South to prac-
tice this agriculture and following the
low price of cotton IN 1914 the acre
creased II remains TO he seen how
far the recent high price of cotton
Will check this tendency 1t would
be unfortunate If II aid so,
The Meat Supply.
"A further word should he said
about the tendency of the meat sup
ply to increase. While following the
outbreak Of the war. there was a con
siderable increase in exports Of meats
amounting in 1916 TO 1900. 900 600
pounds. the domestic production in
1916 was 1900, 600, 900 pounds great
er than in 1914, and the tenda~~v Is
still upward Figures recently sub
mitted show that the number of cat
tie on January /. 1917, was 1897. 600
greater than on January /. 1916. and
that the mitch cows had increased in
the same period $50, 900 A very con-
siderable development in live stock
Is taking place In the South.
No Federal Dictatorship Needed.
THE department and all the aE-
ricultural agencies in the country are
giving definite and careful attention
to these problems. The federal gov
erument through several OF its de-
partments is giving continuous CON
sideration to the Immediate problems
presented and to the possibility of
remedial measures. The solution will
certainly not involve a federal uicta-
torship,- aHd 1t IS highly unlik eiy
that It viii involve dicta-
torship In any state or community.
America does not take kindly to die
tators. The difficulties. in any event.
would be very nearly iusuperable.
We have a continent to deal with
and there are difficulties OF double
jurisdiction. Consider, for instance,
the matter IT fixing a minimum price.
The federal government could deal
only with commodities passing into
interstate commerce. The -tates
might be hampered In attempting to
fix price.
las I stated ~ the outset, there Is