The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-31
MAKES PLANS FOR
EXTENSIVE FARMING
Federation for Rural Progress Advises
That No Time Be Lost in Plant
ing Crops.

BOSTON, March 31.-How the New
England farmer can effect agricultural
preparedness for war is pointed out in
statement issued by a committee of
The New kngiand Federation for Rura,
Progress appointed to formulate pans
4or utIIzlng the Ieuvrauoa In SOWING
the food question III case OF war.
NhIIe the general question Ut now tn,
AeueratlUn can pe u.uIzeu III helpIAg
to soINe the Iood question IN case OF
war Will be discussed at the general
meeting of the tederatlon caued for
SATURDAY morning, March 81, at tal
bos on Chamber OF Commerce building
the committee felt It was wise 10 make
a preliminary statement to the farmers
urging them to do everything in their
power to prepare the agricultural IN
uuStrles tor any emergency.
The gist OF tn1 committee S advice
to the farmer is to leave nothing I'M
done TIL tomorrow that can be done
TO-DAY, to uulllze every moment OF the
present IN getting farm implements IN
condition tor work, to get animals in
the best of shape for the hardest kind
U1 labor so that no time need pe lost
when the time comes to use them ana
to systematic the planting and grow
ing of crops.
| In its statement TO the agricultural
| interests of New England the commit
| tee says: 1.-THE outbreak of war will
mean the speeding up of those indus
| tries making war munitions This to-
! gether with the number of men taken
to recruit an army, will produce Il So
we're dearth of farm labor. Every dav
between now and the time when the
land is fit for working should be util
lzed by farmers in over-hauling and
repairing all farm machinery, harness
es aud equipment of all kinds, SO that
not a single hour will be lost wher
these machines and equipments are
needed in he field.
Even though the cost of feed i.
very high, horses should be well fec
and hardened by exercise so that time
will not be lost in conditioning then
when the work season begins.
Farmers should not rush headlon!
into the growing of large aereages O
new crops, but should carefully plal
their system Of cropping for th
year SO that the work vii
be evenly distributed Throughout
the season and not call for q larg
amount OF extra labor to care for crop
| at any one time.
All soil should be thoroughly pre-
! pared, cultivation should be intensiv
l ana all seeds should be tested for ger
( mination so that good stands of crop
NAV be assured.
e If these DAYS before active wor
4 on the land are wisely utilized, niue
lost motion will be saved and the farm
ers of New England will be prepare
to do their part in assisting in winnin
the war, the issue of which depend
g fully as much upon the food suppl
as upon arms and munitions.
The committee is composed of I'll
: following: Dr. Kenyon l. Butterfiel,
d president Of the Massachusetts Ayr
e cultural college; Ebert $ Brigham
Y commissioner Of agriculture in v
e of the bureau of farm managemcI
V mont; l.. q. Dodge, formerly in eharl
5 of the United States department of a
e riculturc
o The meeting of the federation call,
: for Saturday morning viii be for ii
Y purpose of discussing and formulatiI
{ plans for the intelligent guidance
S the force of production, transportatit
e and distribution o. food supplies
the event of war.