Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-10
APPEALS
TO COUNTRY AGAIN
TORAISEFOODSTUFFS
Every Effort Should Be Made
to Produce More Crops Than
Are Needed for Our Own
Use

WASHINGTON. April S-Secretary
of Agriculture Houston tonight again
appealed to the country to make every
effort TO raise adequate food crops this
year, not only for The United States
needs, but to meet the requirements of
the entente.
The Importance to the nation of a
generous food supply for the coming
year cannot be over emphasized in view
of the economic problems which may
arise as a result of the entrance of the
United States into the war" said the
secretary. Every effort should be
made to produce more crops than are
needed for our own requirements. Many
millions of people across the seas, as
we'll as our own people, must rely in
large part upon the products of our
fields and ranges. This situation will
continue to exist even though HOSTILE
ties should end Unexpectedly soon.
since European production cannot be
restored Immediately 10 its normal
basis
'It is obvious that the greatest and
most important service that is required
of our agriculture under existing con-
ditions is an enlarged production of
the staple food crops. Because of the
shortage of such crops practically
throughout the world there is no risk
in renumerative prices to producers.
ton such as some times has resulted
in unremunerative prices to producers.
This is particularly true of the cereals
and of peas beans, cowpeas, soy beans
and buckwheat. In view of the world
scarcity of food there is hardly a pos
sibility that the production Of these
crops by the farmers of the United
States can be too great this year and
there is abundant reason to expect gen.
erous price returns for all available
surplus.
ENLARGE FOOD ACREAGE
The most effective step that may be
taken to increase the production of
these crops is to enlarge the acreage
devoted to them in the regions where
they are grown habitually. This ex-
pansion of acreage should be to the
limit permitted by available good seed.
labor and equipment. The placing OF
too great emphasis on production in
new regions is inadviSable since the
introduction into farm operation of
crop not usually grown frequently in
wolves practical difficulties not easily
forseen nor quickly surmountaible.
Taking the winter wheat territory
as a whole, winter killing has occurred
to an extent very much greater than
usual This obviously, if not compea-
stated for in some way, will mean ma
terial reduction in the supplies of our
most important bread cereal. Where
winter wheat has been damaged suf-
ficientIy to justify the abandonment of
fields 1t should by all means be replaced
by spring planted food crops, preferably
small grains or corn.
eff land intended for spring wheat
cannot be put into good condition early |
orb Saa6inO harley
be substituted to good advantage In the /
sections where these. crops are known
to do we'll. The ease with which barley /
may be substituted directly for wheat I
in human food and its usefulness to /
replace wheat milling by products as
food in the production of the milk sup /!
ply. renders it's abundant production i'm [
portant. Barley. where it succeeds, /
yields a larger weight of feed. per acre /
than any. other small grain crop. With /
an abundance. of oats and barley avail /
able much closer milling of wheat than
at present could be practiced, if neces- !
sary, without endangering the milk sup
ply which constitutes so important an
element in the dietary of consumers.
RYE is IMPORTANT.
"The place of rye under present con-
ditions is an important one Buckwheat |
NAV be planted later than any similar
crop duu rye a. present PA AoNS PAc'ANS0 |
more food value for the money than
most Of the other cereals. Fuller appre-
citation of It's value should stimulate
production to an extent that would in
crease the total food supply greatly.
"A de efficiency of hay and forage for
next writer would jeopardize the future
meat ard dairy supplies of the country
and result in a shortage of roughage for
military draft and saddle animals.
! v=,1
planting on the bast lands available for
them and planning for thorough tillage
and protection of the crop against dis
ease and insect pests. Potatoes can DC
grown most simultaneously near the
centers of population in the northern
states where transportation cost may be
reduced to a minimum. This crop is
capable of quick and large increase of
production when conditions are favor
able There is, however considerable 2
risk of Improbable production Of pota-
toes when they are grown at long dis
tances from the consuming markets,
owing to the disproportiOnate weight and !,
bulk of the product in comparison with
cereals Such vegetable crops as car
rots ruttabaga, turnips. onions and cab
bage are worthy of much more attention
than they generally receive. All these
crops are capable of large production on
SultdDle lanOS unOeT Intensive culture
throughout the more densely populated
portions of the country.
POTATO FOR SOUTH.
In the southern half of the country
perhaps no crop has larger possibilities
for quick increase of production of food
for both men and animals than the sweet
potato. The peanut in many sections Of
the south also is capable of greatly en-
ls4rged production.
only about 20 per cent of the supply
OF sugar normally consumed in the Uni
ted States is produced dOmestically and
this amount cannot be increased appre-
ciably during the coming season.
Prices of the grain sorghums during
the past season appear to warrant in
crease of acreage of these grains in
the regions where they can succeed
Though flax is not primarily a food