The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-10

liS llIpOTLduCe to the IldIlOH Ol q SGll erous food supply for the coming yea cannot be over emphasized in view ol 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 owr requirements. Many millions Of people across the seas, as we'll as our own peo. pie, must rely in large part upon the products of our fields and ranges. This situation will continue to exist, even though hostilities should end unex- pectedly soon, since European production cannot be restored immediately to its normal basis.
 OBVIOUS NEED
 Tt is obvious that the greatest and most important service that is required of our agriculture under existing condi- ttons Is an enlarged production of the staple food crops. Because of the short the world there is no risk in the near future of excessive production such as sometimes has resulted in unremunera- tive prices to producers. This Is particu- larly true of the cereals and of peas. beans, cowpeas and buckwheat. In view of the world scarcity of food there is hardly a possibility 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 generous price returns for all available surplus.
 MOST EFFECTIVE STEP
 "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 expansion of acreage should be to the limit permitted by available good seed, labor and equip ment. The placing of too great empha- sis on production in new regions is in- advisable since the introduction into a farm operation of crop not usually grown frequently involves practical diff ficulties not easily foreseen nor quickly surmountable.
 Taking the winter wheat territory as a whole, winter killing has occurred to an extent very much greater than usual. This obviously, if not compensated for in some way, will mean a material reduc- tion has been damaged sufficiently to should by all means be replaced by spring planted food cropss preferably small grains or corn.
 OATS OR BARLEY
 If land intended for spring wheat can- not be put into good condition early enough for seeding. oats or barley can be substituted to good advantage in the sections where these crops are known to do well. The ease with which barley may be substituted directly for wheat in hu- man food and it's usefulness to replace wheat milling by-products as food in the production of the milk supply, renders It's abundant production important. Bar ley, where it succeeds, yields a larger weight of feed per acre than any other small grain crop. With an abundance of
 
 milling of wheat than at present could be practiced. if necessary, without en- dangering the milk supply which consti- tutes so important an element in the dietary of consumers.
 RYE GOOD CROP
 "The place of rye under present condi- tions is an important one. Buckwheat may be planted later than any similar crop and rice at present prices provides more food value for the money than most of the other cereals. Fuller ap- preciation of it's value should stimulate production to an extent that would in- crease the total food supply greatly.
 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 food crop, the cake remaining when oil is expressed from the seed constitutes an important element in the dairy food sup ply. Its increased use would release other grain products for use as food.
 CORN LEADING CEREAL
 Corn is the leading food and feed crop of the United States .n geographic range of production. acreage and quan tity of product. The vital importance of a large acreage of this crop prop erly cared for. therefore. is obvious Conditions warrant the planting of the largest acreage of this crop which 1t Is possible to handle effectively.
 "Earliness of maturity, other factors being equal. Is advantageous in the case of practically all grain crops Rel atively early maturing varieties should be selected where possible and plant ing should be done at the earliest suitabl date.
 "The usefulness of COW peas and recognized only recently in this coun- try. Existing conditions warrant the planting of all the available seed of varieties known to do well in the sev- eral sections. The soy bean in par ticular has proved sufficiently resist ant to cold in spring and to adverse weather during summer to warrant heavy planting, especially throughout oil production as well as for human food has become recognized so quickly and so generally during the past year that the crop has acquired a commer- c;a1 ,tapdirC far In excecq of ;tS pra.