The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-03
FOOD SITUATION DOES
NOT JUSTIFY HYSTERIA
Secretary of Agriculture Houston Counses Calm While Insist
ing There Should Be Probe Show Source of Present
ble-Food Wasted Annually Worth S70O0000O0.

Cheese--1s16. 12.246.Ooo pounds:
1915, l1,s41,o0o pounds.
Butter fat sold--tsl6. 326.346, 900
pounds 1915, 1851, 900 pounds.
Cream sold--19t6. 5LSSs,0o0 gal
Ions; 1915, 55.977.000 gallons.
Poultry products also Increased as
indicated:
Eggs-1s1s. 1,s47.512,OOo dozens;
1915, 1,S10.s12,000 dozens
Fowls raised-1916, 566.722.o 900
number; 1915, 555,494.000 number.
Wheat and Potatoes Short
The two food products which re-
veal marked decrease were wheat
and Irish potatoes It Is evident that
the public has failed to look at all
facts involved. especially In the case
of wheat. The wheat crop for the
current year was reported to be $40
100000 bushels as against a hveyear
average OF 72s, 900 900 bushels, and
the record crop of 1915 Of i,026,000.-
600 bushels. Apparently, the public
has compared the crop of 1916 sole
ly with the record crop Of 1915. and
failed to take into account the un-
usually large carry over from that
year into the present year OF 1914
0o0,0o bushels or more. Further
more, its attention has been fixed on
aecly following the outbreak Of the
war. The exports Of wheat in nor
nal times are approximately 105.-
100000 bushels. The year preceding
the war it was las, 100000 bushels
In 1914-15 it was 332. 600, 600 bushels
dropping in 1915-16 to 243.000 900
bushels.
Public UnduIy Excited.
lit
100000 bushels and having In mind
tho possibilities of export as suggest
ed by the figure of 332.000.0o0 for
l9l4-l5. the public naturally appre-
hended that there would he a lack Of
bread. Dealers and others became
unduly excited. The total available
supply. including both the crop and
the carry over. aggregating S04 600
600 bushels--part OF which. II saouid
he said was not suitable for milling
purpose--sh ould have been consider
ed as we'll as the relatively small eX-
ports for the first six months of the
current year. Up TO the first of Janu-
airy, the exports were only $1,000
600 bushels. and they have tended to
decrease partly on account Of the dis
turbed shipping conditions since the
first of January. Our normal domes-
o.
for seeding purposes and for a re-
serve TO carry over the next year re-
quire $40, 900, 600 bushels As I have
stated, the total years supply is S04,-
600, 900 bushels. This would give us
an available exportab'e surplus of
81 100000 bushels. At the rate Of
export since the first Of July, with
the tendency TO decline rccentl. We
should have enough wheat IN the
country very nearly to supply nor
nal needs.
Crop Prospects.
Il am not a prophet and car not
furnish any guarantee for the future.
There are certain things, however. /
do know. The farmers, governed as
they are by ordinary motives. In re-
Spouse TO tho present level OF prices,
have I'm certain directions shown a
definite purpose 10 increase their
acreage. Winter wheat was sown in
the fall. THE reports reveal that the
total acreage was 40,090.000 This
is nearly 900 more than the
amount planted the preceding fall
Much of the latter. however. was win
ter killed, SO that tho planting this
fall was 100000 acres moro tnan
harvested last summer Spring wheat
has not been planted.
In 1915 the acreage was la.445.-
900 acres. The average acreage for
fvc years IL 1s,800.000 II would he
singular II this did not increase But
taking the average for i've years and