The Harrison times., 1917-09-15

step toward preparedness in connection with
the participation of the United States in
the war 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
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 are that the wheat
crop VIII not be large enough to much more than
meet the needs of America, let alone the eXpor-
Nation 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 a worldwide campaign
80 dethrOne 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
calamities as drought and floods will Stave off
hunger for a large portion of the world Pres
ent indications that the corn acreage in the
u great corn states Of the country will be in
creased from 20 to 80 per cent, or even more in
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 corn will add ap-
proximatey 500000000 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
a food product
The nations corn crop has averaged 1900 000,-
900 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 thI 1917 crop will approximate 35OOOOOOOO
busheS The banner corn states of the Union
are 4 pared to do their share in the drive for
increased food production Conservative estimates
Of what some Of the leading states in the corn
belt region will do this year are: Illinois, 4OO-
100000 bushels; Iowa 3250O0000 to 35OOO0OOO
bushels; Nebraska, 250000000 bushels; Missouri,
225,000000 bushels Indiana, 2000O0000 bushels,
and Texas, 2000O00O0 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 were 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 no other
purpose than f0r corn or oats two Of the leaders
In the great tro Of farm crops.
The harvest this summer is likely to see rec
ordbreaking crop of oats approXmatlng 2,000-
100000 bushels. Tremendous increases will also
be made in the rye, katlr corn sorghum and for
all, ,,,I,I, Fac, t.,
food products 1t is this latter activity in plant
Ing greatly increased acreages of the minor crops
that is expected to bring on n small revolution in
farming circles Instead Of depending upon one,
two or three of the big trio Of crops the farmer
Is devotlng his energy to the growing Of other
crops which supplement the food products gained
from wheat corn and oats Thus, in the case OF
Il 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 buslly engaged
In finding new -four substitutes Discoveries
made In number Of laboratories indicate that
Americas bread will be baked with the aid OF
more varieties Of -four than ever before. Kahr
corn and feterta have been found to make ac-
ceptable lours, and the use Of cottonseed meal
in the preparation Of breadstuffs will soon gain
widespread popularity. Chemists are engaged on
other still hunts for new food substitutes, and by
the end Of the year America will be eating scores
Of new 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