The record., 1918-01-31
ALL AROUND
THE FARM
INCREASE FOOD CROPS.
War Demands and Food Shortage
Should Be Met By Ameriean Farmers.

INSnEHSE EOSU SitSl Ss
War Demands and Food Shortage
Should Be Met by American Farmers.
D. +. Houston, secretary Of agricul
ture, in recent statement said in part:
1t is obvious that the greatest and
most important service that is required
Of our agriculture under existing con
ditions is an enlarged production OF
the staple food crops. Because Of tha
shortage of such crops practically
throughout the world there is no risk
in tie near future of excessive rrCddc-
ton such as sometimes has resulted III
unrcmunerativc praes to producers.
This is particularly tr.e of the
cereals and OF peas, beans, cowpeas.
soy beans and buclVheat. In view of
the world scarcity Of focd there is
hardly possibility that the production
of these crops by the farEer5 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 ba
taken to increase the production Of
these crops is to enlarge the acreage
devoted to them in the regions where
they are grown habituaEy. This cx
papsiCn OF acreage should be to the
limit permitted by available good seed
labor and equipment
Good Seed Wheat Necessary.
The minimum quality If seed grs::
that should be relied ut'a9 pnder exist
ing conditions is I. very Eiliicult pom:
to decide. In general it s not wise 80
risk planting seed wbc2tSshoN lg less
than 10 or so per cent Gcfmination 20.
that weighing less than fiEty pounds to
the bu&hel. If the land il prepared
! thoroughly and otherwia. Is s;citablt
the use Of suvi-s W!l9Atf weighing rs
low IS 70 y-Gyc .o,,T=is per bU3nel
Il i o ~~oi g n Fs.tim may bs
L. ~ t: Is lacking
The Usefulness OF oo5> and 5ar!ey.
IF land intended fog sE.ri,.s wheat
cannot be put into good condition ear.
ly enough for seeding, tils OF barley
can be substituted TO Eocd advantage
in the sections where these crops are
known to 90 well. Barey can be re
lied on in the proved Ftreas of Wis,
consin, Minnesota. Iowa the Dakotas
and Montana, Wnile eas save much
wialez. raiisse tE,ll ls ssiiehs
barley may be substitt directly for
wheat in human food ah its useful
ness to replace wheat milling byprod-
ucts as food in the prediction of the
milk supply renders its abundant pro,
| duction important. Bar;1y where ii
succeeds yields larger weight Of feed
| per acre than any other small grain
crop. With an abundance OF oats and
| barley available much closer milling
| Of wheat than at present could be
practice.i, if necessary. without endan-
| gering the milk supply, which constt-
tutes SO important an element III the
| dietary of consumers.
| Buckwheat For Late Planting.
| Buckwheat may be planted later than
.Ey similar crop and often does well
On cid meadows or waste land that
can be broken after the more eXactifg
crops are planted. In some sections
that the cereals, except rye, cannot
| be relied on, buckWheat is a crop Of
considerable Importance. The acreage
could well be increased, especially in
portions Of New York, PENNSYLVANIA
and New England where the crop now
is grown to considerable extent.
Expand the Corn Acreage.
l 7
crop Of the United States in geograph
ic range Of production, acreage and
Iaantity of product. The vital impor
tance Of large acreage OF this crop
properly cared for, therefore, is obvi-
| Gus. Because Of the prices obtained
for the last crop and the world demand
for this grain its profitaBleness to the
American farmer during the approach
ing season is clear. Conditions now
warrant the planting of the largest
acreage Of this crop which it is possi.
BILE to handle. effectively.
Although fall is the proper time for
breaking sod for corn, there are many
unproductive and foul meadows and
Indifferent pastures III Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio and the middle Atlantic anG
northeastern states that under eXistin.
conditions can be broken now to az
vantage and planted to corn. The re-
sulting reduction of hay and pasture
would be more than replaced by tba
corn stoYer, ensilage and grain DE-
| duced.
Potatoes and Vegetables,
Seed potatoes should be conserved
by planting Oh tho best lands available
for them and planning for thorough
tillage and protection Of the rrop
against disease and insect pests. Pota-
toes can be grown most advantageous
ly near the. centers of population In
the northern states, where transpCrta-
ton cost may be reduced to mini
mum. This crop is capable of quici:
and large increase of production when
conditions are favorable.
The duty of the individual farmer at
this time is to increase his production.
particularly of food crops If he has
control of tillable land not in use or
money lying idle or labor unemployed
he should extend his opera lions 50 as
to employ those resources to the fullest
extent. This does not mean that he
should rob his land waste his caj.ital
or expend his labor fru:tlesS,Y but that
! by wise planning and car9eS, effort &c
should turn out a greater crantit, =:
food crops than ever before. {Ie VIII
not lose by It, and he viii r.. fur.u nj
important service in supporting his
country In the task that lEeG before e