Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1917-04-13
GROW GRAIN AND
HELP THE NATION
MONTANA FARMERS SHOULD
PRODUCE EVERY POSSIBLE
BUSHEL OF GRAIN.
Agricultural Preparedness Necessary,
Says Governor Stewart; Kansas
Crop Will Be Not Less Than Fifty
Per Cent Short Is Official Esti-
mate.

mat Montana will be called upon
this year to furnish every possible
bushel or pound of food products is
becoming increasingly evident. Gov
ernor Stewart received recently
from the secretary of the state board
of agriculture of Kansas a letter in
which attention was called to a con-
ference held at Topeka, March Is.
The conference was called by Gov
ernor Capper, was attended by far
mers, and the object was to devise
ways and ear to increase the ag-
r%icultural output of that state to
meet the demand to feed the world.
The conference discussed the subject
of what crops to grow, the farm labor
problem, storage and marketing, the
financing of the tenant-farmer and
other similar topics.
Creates Food Commission.
AS a result of the conference reso-
lutions were adopted urging the Gre
alton of a federal food commission,
people in the cities were called upon
to utilize all vacant ground for grow
ing garden truck crops for immediate
table use and to preserve by canning
or storage all surplus products for
winter use. Farmers and farm chill
dren were urged to participate in the
anne activities. Bankers we're asked
to cooperate closely with the farm
ers in providing funds needed for
seen and necessary equipment for
farm operations and in order to en-
able farmers to maintain breeding
stock.
There can be no question" said
Governor Stewart yesterday, "of the
necessity for what / may call agri-
cultural preparedness, in view of the
worldwide situation. While Mon.
tana will not be able, owing to its
comparatively small population, to
respond numerically as will other
states to the call of President Will.
son for troops, nevertheless this
state can and l believe will do hel
share in helping the nation in thi'
time of need.
Kansas Short Crop.
In the letter which accompanied
the communication from the secre
tary of the Kansas state board of ag
riculture the statement is made tina
the condition of wheat in that stat,
is the poorest in years, and that Kan
sas cannot produce this year, with
favorable weather henceforth, more
than SO per CEN of a crop at best. Al
Kansas usually produces o~ne-seventl
to one-fifth of the nations wheat an
nually, a short crop or comparative
failure will leave a big deficit in thu
nations surplus. This fact, / believe
warrants the farmers of Montana il
devoting all the land possible tt
spring wheat. My belief is it will 20
only be good business for the farmer
to do this because there is every rea
son to believe that prices will be higl
but the Montana farmer who doe
will be rendering a distinct and di
rect service to his country.
1.-THE backward season will mill
tate, in all probability, against Mon
tana having as large an acreage il
;. wheat and other cereals as wouli
have been the case had it been posi-
BILE to have started the blowing a
early as in normal years. But des
pite this, I hope and believe tina
Montana will do its full share towar
agricultural preparedness"