Evening star., 1917-10-14
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING!

i IN OVXASN
I ent. Some of the pig-club boys are
feeding as many as thirty-fve or forty
head Of their own, and many are feed
| than that.
Experts of the department know that
most Of the boys that are not in the
pig club do not have the pigs and do not
thousands Of small pigs, they point out,
being sent to market every day that
should stay on tho farms. Many OF the
sows. they say. should be kept to pro-
be probably fed to make larger hogs
even at the present prices Of grains
The problem is to get these small pigs
and sowa into the hands Of farmers and
farm boys and girls that want them.
| There are county agricultural agents
! in many of the counties who know
where these hogs are. and can get them
before they are sent to market. II
to appeal to. the experts state. is the
| banker. Many bankers know who have
hogs to sell. II the county is short OF
! hogs the state club leader or the ex-
lege may be able to direct an inquirer
to breeder or county agent In an
adjacent county who has hogs to sell
The experts of the department realize
\ tfdt gram ana Othef swine 1o6QS are
scarce and expensive. but. they point
out, hogs can be grown and fattened
| with the use Of little grain. Tho most
profitable pork has always been pro-
! duced when the hogs run on pasture
and are fed light ration of grain in
| addition
| 1t is suggested that boys who have no
pigs nor money with which to buy them
shouid ask banker for help He will
usually. they believe, be glad to helm
worthy boys who are trying to heIp the
country in this emergency. Many OF
these bankers have asked the Depart
ment of Agriculture this year as to the
best methods that have been used in
furnishing boys money with which to
| purchase pigs.
| Uncle Sans experts of the forest
! service, who make their life work that
| Of knowing the trees
Substitutes for and conditions in
| H- connection fwth the
| sale OF lumber and
! its preservation. say that twenty-five
years ago lumber was regarded as al
most as much of q necessity as wheat,
while today it Is steadily being re-
placed by various substitutes.
| Disregarding the temporary effect Of
the war, with it's sudden demand for
lumber and its great enhancement OF
prices for many substitute materials, OH.
cials point out tho tendency in the long
| run. Each year moro steel, concrete.
brick or tile is being used in places
where lumber was formerly employed.
This is particularly true in cities where
the enactment Of building codes and
| the development OF new forms Of con-
structicn have created a demand for
more durable building material 1t 10
pointed out that shingles, for instance,
have given way largely to composition
and tile roonngs wooden sidewalks
have been almost wholly replaced by
cement. while the modern skyscrapsr.
with it's steel framework and stone
and brick or tile walls. occupies the
site of some former frame structure.
How hard this substitution has hit
the lumber business is shown BY the
government estimate that the total re-
placement of lumber In all forms Of
| use is 5000, 10000 board feet, or q
per cent OF the lumber consumption of
the United States in 1915. The rate Of
| substitution seems. it is said, to be in
creasing and is now in excess OF 500.
| 100000 bosrd feet a year Approx
mately 20 per cent of the lumber cut
goes into forms Of use whose demands
cent goes into strongly competitive
fields. In the remaining 10 per cent Of
wood uses there seems to be a much
better opportunity for large con-
sumption
It 10 pointed out however. that in
creasing substitution has not low ered
lumber prices to the consumer On the
contrary, they have steadily advanced,
while the cost OF many substitutes has
decreased. EKhaustion OF the stands
sources for the manufacture of other
building materials are given as some Of
tho rsasons for these changes.
The eject Of the growing use of other
materials has been to accentuate compe-
tition and decrease proits in the lumber
business As a result OF this and other
reasons. alternate periods of custailment
ana overproduction have made the lumber
market unstable. This. in turn. has re-
! suited to the disadvantage not only of the
persons whose money is invested in tim
Der and sawmils, but of the many hun
dred thousands who are dependent upon
the lumber industry for their living.
Lumbermen have felt it is said the ef-
feet OF the replacement of their product
by other materials. but have not realized
the extent to which it had taken place
ing methods and have been unable to
supply the consumer with reliable infor-
| nation regarding lumber because they
did not have it. a complicated system OF
I 10 the average consumer and is even the
subject of considerable dispute among
lumbermen.
The Army and Navy are at one in
plans for an aviation service which will
make possible tho con-
Supremacy 'inuation of the su-
:, A. A. premacy of the air now
held by those fighting
against Germany and her allies.
To simplify the task of these two de-
partments in working out this problem
three joint boards have been appointed
the joint Army and Navy board on de-
sign and specifications. the joint Army
and Navy board on aero coxnizance and
the joint Army and Navy board OIL Zep-
pelins.
Further to assist in the expansion Of
the aviation service the Council of Ma
tional Defense has appointed the air
craft production board. The general
Junction of this latter board is to bring
manufacturers together and help make
their resources available to the govern
ment. and assist the government in
stimulating the production OF better
tNpes and greater quantities of air ma
chlhes. to investigate and recommend
nlanufactulius plants where orders are
! TO ne placed, to aid in arranging with
american factories as to the kinds of
machines best suited to their several or
carnations and facilities f,,, ,,,n,ya,