Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-09-02
Agricultural
Program.


sary. the ofncials point out. to discuss
at length the need for increased food
in time Of war. In fact. the war in
tensihes q shortage Of food products
which has been apparent for several
years. though this country until re-
Gently has not felt the shortage. But
now 1t has become real to the mass of
consumers and critical to the welfare
Of the nation.
Many who are not directly interested
In agriculture think chiefly Of the inn
portance of having an abundant food
supply at the lowest prices. Producers
OF food. however. must consider the
question from an economic standpoint.
II they are to continue in their BUSH
ness. though they consider II also from
q patriotic standpoint.
Since state of war was declared by
Congress the Department Of Agricul-
parts Of the country and by all classes
Of people for advice and assistance in
connection with the production, con-
servation and marketing of farm prod
cerned its advice as heretofore given
may be summarized very briefly in
four statements: % Each community
should produce its own food and feed
non-perishable staples should be in
creased beyond local needs in each To-
cality in which they can be produced
most probably. Those staples include
and sugar-cane production should be
increased In districts where factories
are accessible and production condi-
tons are favorable. and % commercial
production Of perishables should be
increased above normal only as the
facilities for transportation and mar
keting are assured. The home vegeta-
BILE garden should be encouraged to the
extent Of supplying as fully as possible
the needs Of the family growing 1t.
Experts Of the department who are
looking into these conditions point out
that this advice Is as sound for next
year as 1t has been for this year.
A committee Of department officers
lem in consultation with specialists in
the several states with q view to rec
ommending to the producers Of the ma
ton what they should now prepare to
for the home and foreign DEM demands 'i Tor
winter grain that this country should
supply and desires to supply.
The agricultural industry Of the Unit
Cd states 10 more complicated and more
finely adjusted than is generally known.
Definite crop rotations have been es-
tabl!shed in large areas Of the coun-
Try. Special crops and markets for
them have been developed through the
with the aid Of an ample fertilizer sup
ply and other favorable conditions.
The ofnctals point out that to assure
the food supply Of the Immediate
as well as the remote future many
Of the we'll established agricul-
tural practices should be carefully safe
guarded. for marked disturbance Of
them necessarily involves risk Of dis
location Of production of the total food
supply. Without due regard to these
considerations the producers of the
country might be persuaded to grow
wheat to the neglect Of other crops
needed for the sustenance Of the ma
tion and the maintenance Of a pros
Of wheat below normal. even in peace
times. consumption of other cereals
must be increased to satisfy necessities
and in order to make the future sure
there must be considerable increase
in wheat
The work Of the bureau Of standards
is Individual. differentiated alike in its
character and it's location
Standards from other government
services. and yet is init
ou1eau' mately wrought into the
fabric of our progress. 1t is a testing
bureau for the government. It is a ma
tional physical laboratory. It develops
and establishes standards Of weights
and measures. But in doing these IL
does much more. It reaches out into
every walk of life and may truly be
said to establish standards which to
greater or less degree affect the life and
professional. commercial. industrial or
scientific relations.