The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-04-05

appeal in the spring Of 1917 for the
planting of everything susceptible OF
producing foodstufs for the United
States and for the world at large IL
necessary none were more loyal, none
made greater efforts than the owners
Of farms throughout the United States.
Many men who had previously planted
but Il small acreage did their utmost
To increase their fields, and as result
our potato crop for 1917 exceeded by
more than 1OO,OG0,OO0 bushels that OF
any other year.
"Then labor on the farms was sub
Stantially undisturbed. but later came
the call for volunteers for the army
and the navy and finally the military
draft. Agricultural workers began 10
leave the farms by reason of the lure
of the higher wages of the munition
factories and the patriotic bids of the
fighting services.
"The consequence of this tide OF
trained men moving away from the
farms told hurtfully before the close of
agricultural activity. Many farmers
who had planted crops with the eX-
pectatiOn of thoroughly cultivating
them. harvesting and storing what
might be necessary and selling the sur
plus found themselves towards the lat
ter part of the season without the
needful help to finish the cultivation,
or. if this were done, they were after
ward without aid ut the time Of har-
vest. II was only logical that large
quantities of fOOdstuffs were left un-
gathered and spoiled where they
stood.
MY own experience has been much
like that of many others in trying to
respond to the presidential appeal.
Last spring decided to use every re-
source to produce as large IA crop as
possible of foOdstuffs. both to feed
big herd of milk producing cattle and
to raise young stock to sell in the mar
kets of the world.
81 need from 80 to 30 men all the
time. as l have nearly 400 head of
milch cows, young stock. etc, and the
growing of feed for these cattle as well
as the care of them demands a good
force of farm laborers. 1t was plain
to me last spring that I was likely to
run short of workers and accordingly
| secured a number of Brown univer
sity students and some high school
boys, in all about twelve.
GGNJ,rt ,r +hncO ,-1,,pcr t,,nt, ,y-o,o ,,-ith
out any knowledge of farm operations.
Some of the high school boys were
worse than useless; they were a nuis-
ance and had to be got rid Of The uni
versity men, being acquainted with one
another worked together and did very
well, but even so they had to be under
the care and direction of experienced
men nearly all the time.
30 "A short while ago l seriously con-
sidered selling every head of cattle
that I owned and letting the land lie
idle until more help could be secnred.
Upon second thought l decided not to
do this for economic reasons.
'In my establishment | expect to
DTOuuCt llllS yGilI -,OOO,OOO DOu1uS VI
milk from my dairy herd, large num-
Der of young stock, approximately 200
and other products. 1t would be some
thing of a public calamity to dissipate
these resources. Let me make this
palmer.
"The 100000 pounds of milk l
count upon getting is the equivalent in
food value of 100000 pounds of beef
To obtain 100000 pounds of beef
would take 1000 head of cattle dress
ing 800 pounds apiece after a consider
able period of feeding and fattenng
"But when 1000 head of cattle have
been killed and turned into beef their
vital course comes to an end. The
dairy herd, on the other hand even
while yielding 100000 pounds of
milk and giving birth to from 200 to
300 calves, still remains intact and
capable of further production and re-
production.
Bearing these facts in mind, l am
going to try to keep things running, but
the outlook is not encouraging.