Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-08-14


history of the world. In fact, no
step toward preparedness in connection with
the participation of the United States in
the has proceeded more rapidly than the
mobilization of the farm resources of the middle
West, which just now is preparing itself for the
task of feeding not only the United States but
large part of the world Hr
Despite the fact that the call to the fields
came too late to affect the winter wheat crop,
the middle Western farmer has made tremendous
advances in increasing the acreage of his other
food crops, such corn, oats rye and other farm
products. Present indications that the wheat
crop will not be large enough to much more than
meet the needs of America, let alone the expor
taton of large quantities of this product which
must be made to the allies but famine is still
distant specter. For the first time in its history
the world is going to learn a valuable lesson in
domestic economy, and that is the adaptation of
other farm products for food purposes One of
the first results will be worldwide campaign
to 6ethrone King Wheat and enthrone King Corn,
whose monarchy heretofore has scarcely extend
ed beyond the boundaries of the United States.
The bumper corn crop which the middle West
will raise this summer, barring such unforeseen
caamlties as drought and floods will stave off
hunger for a large portion of the world. Pres
ent indications are that the acreage in the
II great corn states of the country will be in
creased from 20 to 80 per cent, or even more in
some localities, due to the fact that thousands of
acres of winter wheat lands were made useless
for that purpose by the severe cold weather,
which killed the wheat An increase of 20 per
cent in the acreage planted in will add APP
IprOximately 500,000000 bushels of corn to the
nations crop. large portion Of this increased
yield will go to European allies of the United
States and to neutral nations 1t is probable that
uncle Sam will have to send some of his experts
in domestic science abroad to instruct the Euro
pean in the value and methods of preparing corn
as food product.
The nations crop has averaged 5000, 0O0,-
600 bushels in the last few years, no incOnsid-
cradle mark In itself, but reports collected by ag
ricultural experts from the middle West indicate
that the 1917 crop will approximate $500 100000
bushels. The banner corn states of the Union
iare prepared to do their share in the drive for
increased food production. Conservative estimates
of what of the leading states in the corn
belt region will do this year are Illinois, 4O0,-
100000 bushels; Iowa. 325000,000 to 350000000
bushels; Nebraska, 250000 900 bushels; Missouri,
225, 1000 bushels; Indiana, 2C0000000 bushels,
and Texas, 2000000O0 bushels. Such middle
Western states as Minnesota, South Dakota,
North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan will have
greatly increased acreages of corn this season,
due to several reasons. In the Western group of
states which lie in the heart of the wheat belt
thousands of acres OF winter wheat killed
during the winter. Despite the fact that the
spring wheat acreage planted this year is unusu-
ally larger there still remained many thousands
of acres of land which could be used for other
purpose than for corn oats, two of the leaders
in the great trio of farm crops.
The harvest this summer is likely to see a rec
ord-breaking crop of oats, approximating 2000,
100000 bushels Tremendous increases will also
be made in the rye kafr sorghum and for
age crops, all of which important factors in
supplying the tables of the world with important
food products 1t is this latter activity in plant
ing greatly increased acreages of the minor crops
that is expected to bring a small revolution in
farming circles Instead of depending upon one,
two three of the big trio of crops, the farmer
is deyOting his energy to the growing of other
crops which supplement the food products gained
from wheat, corn and OATS Thus, in the case of
II failure of any of the Important crops, America
will have plenty of substitutes to fall back upon.
Already food chemists and experts in almost all
of the middle Western states are busy engaged
made in a number of laboratories indicate that
Americas bread will be baked with the aid of
varieties of -four than ever before. Kafir
corn and feterita have been found TO make &C
ceptabe hourS. anu the use of cottonseed meal
I'm the preparation of breadstuffs will soon gain
widespread popularity. Chemists are engaged on
other still hunts for food substitutes and by
the end of the year America will be eating scores
of foods and combinations of foodstuffS
which have been wasted heretofore or fed to live
stock.
Emergency food commissions established in all
of the states are conducting an aggressive cam