The record., 1917-12-13
ALL. AROUND
TILE FARM
INCREASE FOOD CROPS.

War Demands and Food ShortaEa
Should Be Met by American Farmers.
L. +. Houston. secretary OF aGricul,
lure, in q recent statement said il part.
It is obvious taat the greatest AND
most important service that is required
of our agriculture under existing con
ditions is au enlarged production Of
the staple food crops. Because Of the
shortage of such crops practically
throughout he world there is no risk
in the near future OF excessive produc-
ton such as sometimes has resulted III
Cmremuneratiye prices TO producers.
This is particularly true of the
cereals and Of peas, beans, CoWpCas,
SOY beans ard buckwheat. In view OF
the world S,.arcity of food there is
hardly a possibility that the production
Of these crops by the farmers of the
United States can lie too great this
year, and there is abundant reason to
expect generous price returns for ali
available surplus.
The most effective step that may DO
taken to increase the production Of
these crops is to enlarge the acreage
devoted to thcm in the regions where
they are grown habitually. This cX
pansion of acreage should be to the
limit permitted by available good seed
labor and equipment.
Good Seed Wheat Necessary.
The minimum quality of seed GratD
that should lie relied upon under exist.
ing conditions is vcry difficult point
to decide III general it IS not wise 70
risk plantin% seed wheat show zig less
than ID or 50 per cent gCrminatiOn no!
that weighing less than fifty pounds 70
the buShel. IL the land is prepared
thoroughly and otherwise is suitable
the use of spring wheat weighing IL
low as forty-tive pounds per bUsnel
If It shows %OOd germinatiOn. may be
advisable where better seed is lacking
The Usefulness of Oats and Barley.
If land intended for spring wheat
cannot be pat into good condition ear
" enough for seeding, oats Or barley
can be substituted to good advantage
III the sections where tnese crops are
known to do well. Barley can be re.
lied on i'll the proved areas of Wis
consin. Minnesota. Iowa. the Dakota<
ana MoutMN. while oat& have m1ch
WIDER rauGc The ease win which
asN 80: - 81. s,5a-.s-s - =
III Fii@aagSlf 2t'gd cry -Fs ]gsts 81
cess to replace wheat mi,tinS DypI0f-
lcts AS fCoi in the prediction of the
sIiik supply renders It's abundant pro.
:. duction important. Barley where it
Succeeds yields a larger weight Of feed
per acre than any other small grain
erop. With III abundance Of oats and
barley available much cioGar milling
Of wheat iHan at present could be
pfactlceG, j. necessary. without endan
gering the milk supply. which const1
tute3 So important an element III tie
dietary Of c"..SumcrS.
Buc!<wI7aat For Late Planting.
BuchWheat may be planted later th.I
any similar crop and often docs We'll
On Oil meadows or waste land tia:
can he broken after the more cXacti. =
crops are planted. IL some Sc items
where cZn"ricncc has demonstrate ed
that tie cereals, except rye, cannot
be relied oa. bucilWhcat is a crop OF
considerable Importance. The acreage
could well 10 increased, especially il,
portions Of New York, Pennsylvania
and New England. where the crop new
is grown t" Il considerable extent
Expasd the Corn Acreage.
Corn is the leading feed ana =
crop of the United States in gC"@raph
tc range ur production, acreage az
~,%antity OF product. The vital imro"
tance Of large acreage Of HIS rr
properly cared for, therefore, = "l.
GUS. Because Of the prices obtain ,
Cor the last crop and the world d@mauc
FOR this grain its proft&bloness to the
American fHrmcr during the approach
ing seagon is clear. Conditions nov
warrant tLa planting Of the largCst
acreage II ihis crcD which it is posi-
hle TO handle effectively.
Although fall is the proper time fol
breaking sd for corn. there are many
unDr0ductiv" and foul meadows ant
Indifferent pastures in Illinois. Indiana
Ohio and he middle Atlantic an,
northeastern states that under cXistin
conditions i&n be broken LUW to &c.
vantage arc planted to com. The ~
sultfng rcd,:ctiUn of hay and pasture
would be more than replaced hy tbC
corn stOycr. ensilagc and grain pr
lluced.
Pota.7es and Vegetables.
seed p"id,oes should BE- conserved
by planiinc n the best lands available
for them nad planning ior thorough
1i1,,ro a,,.t ..yutpctiUr Of the C7'Oi