The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-04-18

vide food supplies to the peoE.e OF
Europe with whom we are upon friend
ly terms.
In view of the foregoing, it is per-
tectIy apparent that the man who
works with a hoe will be a patriot
IN the service of his country, and l
urge all who are able to work to con-
tribute their part in the production
OF food, to the end at least that none
shall contribute less than is required
for their own support. What the
country will need most are these plain
articles of food: Meat, potatoes and
cereals for bread.
L urge every farmer in the state
OF Wisconsin who has suitable land,
TO plant enough wheat to produce the
hour necessary for his own use, and
surplus if possible. l urge that he
plant sufficient acreage of corn and,
II possible increase his herd of swine,
to produce pork for the market.
particularly urge that the acreage Of
potatoes be increased. Every farmer
should plant enough of this vegetable
Tor his own use, and wherever the
soil is suitable he should make his
potato field as large as he is able to
cultivate.
l urge our farmers, as matter of
patriotic duty, to cultivate every foot
of their soil, none of it is too poor
to raise something. White navy beans
and buckwheat will be in demand
intact, anything that is food for man
or beast will be contribution to the
pressing needs of our country.
Our farmers should require no
greater inducement than the present
high prices of all farm produce to en-
courage them in the cultivation of
every foot of tillable soil. The fact
that no large stocks of food will this
year be carried over is in itself an
assurance that the price of farm pro-
duce will be high for another year,
even if peace were Immediately de-
clared.
1t is reported that in some sections
there exists shortage of seed, par
ticularly potatoes. The department of
agriculture of the state of Wisconsin
stands ready to act as a clearing
house in the matter of seed supply.
and all who have a surplus of seed of
any kind should SO advise c. P. Nor
CORD, commissioner of agriculture,
Madison, Wis, and all who are short
of seed of any kind should address, the
same official, who stands ready with
his department to cooperate with the
farmers of the state to the fullest ex-
tent in the matter of securing suitable
seeds to plant the crop.
In order that we may conserve Ia
Dor for agriculture and the necessary
industries l recommend that public
work, so far as it is possible, be de-
ferred until such time as labor shall
not be so urgently needed for these
purposes as it is at present.
wish to again impress upon the
people of this state that the food stu
alton is so serious that we will COM
nit a moral wrong against our gov
eminent if we in any way unneces-
sarily interfere with the production
and successful harvesting of our agri-
cultural products.
l ask that all bankers, business men,
farmers, societies, agricultural asso-
Citations, labor organizations and, so
far as possible, the schools of the
state, interest themselves in the mat
ter of increasing our agricultural pro-
ducts.
l urge that the bankers of the state
give aid in the form of loans, in rea-
sonable sums, to farmers who may
need assistance either in the purchase
of seed or in the cultivation of crops.
l recommend to the people of the
cities, towns and villages that they
plant liberal crops of vegetables on
the vacant property, in order that
they may supply themselves and there
by be protected against high prices of
such commodities.
/ also recommend that the citizens
practice all reasonable economy in
the conservation of food, bearing in
mind that under present conditions
food wasted is food taken from some
one who needs it.
EMANUEL L. Philip,
Governor.