Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-19
CROPS TO TURN TIDE
OF WAR THIS YEAR;
WHEAT NEED GREAT
Secretary Houston Emphasizes
Need of Great Yields to
Maintain Morale of Nations
Fighting Against Germany

WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE
morale of the allied nations in this, the
crucial year OF the war. will depend on
their crops. The wheat situation today
is gravely serious.
AS a result, preparations for an I'M
precedented grain yield have been made
in the United States, Great Britain and
France. The work is stimulated by as
surances given the TeutoI powers that
Russia and Ukraine will hereafter d1-
vide their bountiful harvests with the
Germans.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston has
emphasized the need of record yields.
In spite of the large production in
many directions during 1917. he believes
the situation is not satisfactory. The
supply OF wheat in this nation and in
the world is inadequate. Owing to
short crops in preceding years, the re-
serves of a number of important COM
modities have been greatly reduced.
Prtvatton Just Ahead
Allied diplomats warn that weeks of
privation are ahead. To prevent great
want in England and actual starvation
in France and Italy, it is up to Amer
lea to sacrifice even more than she al
ready has done-at least 80 per cent
more. Some indication of what must
be done is indicated in the following
terse statement of food official to-
night:
1--WE must take more than $4,000. 900
bushels of wheat out of our normal con-
sumption in the next four and half
months, to feed Europe. During the last
seven and half months we have saved
only 80, 900, 900 bushels"
Meantime this country is straining
every effort to yield an unprecedented
gress to appropriate $4,000. 900 for
seeds and to help farmers fight plaques.
Five million picked volunteers are ask
ed to help farmers plant and harvest
crops. Chambers of commerce through
out the nation are asked to appeal TO
employees to devote one or two days to
farm work Vacations, Houston hopes,
will be turned to work on Americas six
million farms. ..
Beginning April /, every one is urged
to start a war garden at home. De-
partment of agriculture experts are
ready with copious advice free TO gar
den fans. Many gardens in the south
are already under way.
May End Shortage
In the tremendous responses from the
American people to the conservation
campaign, the allies are hopeful that
this year. The governments of Brazil
and Guatemala are going into the farm
business, receiving seed wheat and ma
chinery from the United States, and
will help.
England planted 100000 acres more
this year than last, but some delay
was caused when tractors got tied up
in the winters railroad jam in this
country. France is expected TO grow
100, O00, 900 more bushels of wheat this
year than last. In America the acre
age, which jumped 23,O00,O00 acres last
year, is expected to increase even more
this year. The labor question Is the
outstanding difficulty in realizing the
greatest aims, although there is con-
siderable complaint from farming COM
munities that the presidents wheat
prices are not sufficiently high to in
spire increased planting
Winter wheat acreage increased
per cent last fall over the preceding
year. Spring wheat acreage will be in
creased from to Is per cent. Agri-
culture department officials hope-and
they are counting strong on the pa
triotism of the farmers.
The consL ring public, however, must
face further "Itr 4ilment CT wheat sup
plies II is cle-r. Allied diplomats de-
clared that hey are forced ito look al
most entire v to the North American
cor tinent row fer cereals-and for the
most par to the United States"