The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-26
Wade's s Letter

Food production with which to win war hasJbeen the slogan for two 'ars Anerican farmers rallied to the II for greater food cops and held bread line as periodically and rong1y as did the soldiers rally to e colors and hold the battle line. It as Americas supply of food and oney that kept the allies fighting atil the American army got there. The ntral powers were outdistanced in lpplies at home and overwhelmed by sperior numbers on the battle front rtil they were forced to acknowl- lge defeat The American soldiers ,ught heroically and covered them Ives with glory but the war was ally won on the home front and man behind the ploy is as justly titled to his share of the glory as man behind the gun.
 The slogan still is food production an the time of reconstruction. The closing of the war has not made avail able any more food nor reduced the scarcer today than it was this date Ia year ago. Half the world is on short or starvation rations and looking 10 America for relief There can be no Increase in the worlds food supply un- sil another harvest, which will still ioe insufficient, due to slow progress hf reconstruction in Europe The crops most needed and which paid the pro lucer best for the two years were ood crops. Conditions have mt hanged in this respect and the food rocuction slogan should be con &Gnued
 Europe will turn first attention to reducing her bread supply, which ith the increased American wheat op will probably be sufficient to eet all demands within one year. The merican farmer in the south through lwise enthusiasm and misguided idgment. will probably launch out to oduce a bumper crop of cotton, which till give the world an easy supply nd put himself in the hole on eX- enses and get disappointed in the rice. A normal supply of wheat and ptton can be grown in one favorable ear. but normal supply of live stock broducts cannot be produced in less ian four years.
 If is the southern farmers oppor- unity to produce food and feed crops ind market them through live stock 'so a greater extent than has been done turing tfie past two or three years. A The acreage planted to cotton should ,t be increased and the national crop ,ould be held around 11,000,000 bales.
 the south were to produce 15,0O0,O00 16,000, 900 bales of cotton next year,
 would be at a tremendous advance VI cost and the price would fall to IS ,nts per pound or less and produce ' Ate of bankruptcy. l fear that the Amers are going to do this very thing
 the seasons and boil weevils will
 low them to do 1t. Indications al- ady point that yay to some extent. So far as Alabama and the south stern states are concerned, the boil sevils will in all probability be worse sxt year than they have been during lie two years just passed. In the rst place, frost occurred a month ite this fall. The cotton stalks re- ained green and fruiting right up to
 ,ember A heavy crop of bill weevlls
 se been produced and fed right up
 he present date. Ordinarily the
 4 of wevils to go into wintr quar-
 Ks much smaller than the present
 g. and the weevils are generally
 Hl on starvation by frost month
 E- If next spring or summer
 be little wetter than usual
 n..ult will be disastrous. Be care
 Cotton Farmer. J. A. WADE,
 sioner of Agriculture and In- &tAtsS>ns.s