Mexico Missouri message., 1917-08-30

III SOME SeCLlOnS. Inc only SeCIlODS IN
which dairy products have had a rise
In price In appropriate proportion to
the Increase in most of feeds are those
producing condensed milk and cheese.
Our home milk and butter supplies
are therefore looked at In broad way,
decreasing while our population Is in
creasing. This deficiency of dairy but
ter Is shown by the increased sales OF
margarine, which show an increase OF
several million pounds per month over
similar periods In 1915. Dairy butter,
however, has qualities which render 1t
vitality necessary for children. Milk
has no substitute and Is not only In
trinsically one of our cheapest animal
foods, but is absolutely fundamental
to the rearing of the children.
The dairy situation resolves Itself
into several phases. First, 1t Is to be
hoped that the Forthcoming abundant
harvest together with proper restric-
tlon upon exports Of feeding stuffs will
result In lower prices of feed and d.
minlsh the impetus to sell the cattle
for meat. Second, the industry needs
encouragement so as to Increase the
dairy herd and thus our dairy supplies,
| for the sake first of our own people
and second of the allies. The people
must realize the vital dependence of
the well-being of their children, and
thus Of the nation, upon the encourage
ment and upbuilding of the industry.
Third, we must save the wastes In milk
and butter during the war If we are to
provide milk supplies to all. We waste
large quantities Of our milk value from
our lack of national demand for prod
ucts of skinned and sour milk.
| Pork Products.
The hog Is the most efficient of ma
chimes for the production of animal fat.
The hog not only makes more fat from
a given amount of feed, but also the
products made are specially capable of
preservation and most economical for
commercial handling.
The swine of Europe are rapidly de-
creasing and the consumption demand
induced by the war Is much Increased,
this particularly because bacon, ham
and lard are so adaptable for military
supplies. Moreover, our allies are iso-
lated from many markets and a large
amount from northern neutrals is
being diverted to Germany.
While our hogs have increased in
number by 100000 animals, the aver
age weight at slaughter is falling and
our production Is probably only about
| ipHo hn 6nmO nd
upon us since the war began Is shown
by the following figures of comparative
exports:
Three-year, pre-war period, 1855,
614000 pounds.
Year ending June 80, 1916, 1872,
$4,000 pounds.
Wool and Leather.
Our national supply of both WOO
and leather are less than our needs
and we are importing them more anC
more largely, as shown by the follow
ing figures:
Importations of wool and manufac
lures of wool (value) for the three
year pre-war period, S62, 457, 965; 70
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1916
$15S,O7S,271.
Importations (value) of hides, leath
err, and manufactures of leather aver
age of the three-year pre-war period
$133, ,39S; for the year ending jun
80, 1916, SIT, $4,000.
At the present time the worlds de
mand for these products has increased
for above the peace level owing to tn,
extra consumption in supplying tn
armies. This demand Is now again In
creased by the mobilization of larg
American army. In the face of this
not only is the European herd decreas
ing, but also American sheep have de
creased about 100000 since the wa
began. After the war is over, the va
riOus countries of the world iron
which we formerly drew our wool ar
likely to retain 1t for their own us
until their flocks again become normal
Sugar.
The sugar supply on which our allie
in Europe normally draw has bee
tremendously reduced, so that the
must have recourse to other source!
In consequence of the shipping situf
ton the area from which they mus
draw is also curtailed and, as result
they are driven into those market
from which our own supply normal
arises. Furthermore, their own pre-
duction has been greatly diminished
Before the war, Europe supplied in
large measure its own needs, throug
, the production Of beet sugar, as wi
appear from the following table show
. ing the average yearly production an
consumption for the five years befor
the war 1909-191S), in some Of tn
chief countries of Europe:
Prod'n. Consump. Surp. {
, (short (short or def
tons) tons) cheney
Germany .2,525,S9s 1,29s,SS tl'228'S
| A,,u go n04 g72 3