Connecticut western news., 1918-07-25

Evidence that the farmers of Con- necticut are mindful of the call for in creased food production in the inter- ests of the war is shown by a sum- mary of the surveys conducted in hve counties with the approval of the Con- necticut State Council of Defense. One of the benefits secured by the census of approximately 13,0O0 farms is that the state knows it's agricultural re- sources in five counties.
 The crops of 1918 are expected to excel those of the year previous by large margin. In four counties alone farmers told the census takers that they had increased the amount of land under cultivation to 26,371 acres. That the total for all counties in the state would show an appreciable difference between last years acreage and this years is indicated by the partial sur vey made.
 According to the census returns, Litchfield County holds leadership in most farm products. Farmers in that section intend to raise more hay, oats, rye and corn for silage than any of the other counties reported. Hartford County is raising more corn for grain than any other county and also more potatoes. Tobacco is one of the fore most crops in Hartford County, and the acreage planted in other counti" { is small in comparison. In nearly all classes of live stock Hartford County leads. ~-
 The total acreage which promises production is given herewith by coun- ties as shown in the tabulated sum- mary: Hartford County, S5,532 acres !; New Haven County, 66,851 acres; Fair field County, 4S,770 acres, and Holland 1 County, 37,62S acres.
 Valuable statistics on live stock and | food production were secured, and these will be used in various ways to aid in the movement for increased food supply and to help win the war. The census takers in each community used a questionnaire which was designed to | give as complete an inventory of each farmers agricultural resources as was needed by the state.
 In collecting the data the state se- cured information as to the acreage devoted this season to hay, clover, al- falfa, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, winter wheat, spring wheat, corn for grain, corn for silage, potatoes, to- bacco and garden truck. Each farmer was asked to give the amount of acre age under cultivation last year for these products, and a comparison of the 1917 and 1918 crop reports showed plans for increased food production in every one of the counties surveyed.
 Hay looms up as the largest crop raised on Connecticut farms, with Litchfield County having 74,994 acres or as much as New Haven and Fair. field Counties combined. The acreage devoted to oats and rye is large, but corn monopolizes the most land. rAp proximately 50,000 acres in five coun ties was sown to corn this year. The potato ranks high as a food product with 14,0OO acres set aside for 1t. Gar den truck covers an approximate acre. age of 11,000 acres.
 The inventory of live stock included the number of the following classes Poultry. brood sows, pure bred sows grade sows, bOars, pure bred boars number of other swine, hives of bees horses, work horses, work oxen, milcl cows, calves and heiters, pure bret calves and heifers, dairy bulls, grad bulls, pure bred grade bulls, bee breeding stock, beef feeding stock sheep and pure bred sheep.
 Returns from all counties showe that the census had covered the fol lowing number of farms in each coun ty: Hartford, 4,151; New Haven, 2,619 Fairfield, 1,060; Holland, 1919; Litch field, 1922.
 Representing as It does the frs farm survey taken in Connection
 since 1845, the fund of statistical 1T 3 formation presents a wide range c s possibilities. Classified lists of farm
 are being arranged by State Libraria
 George s. Goddard for the county far1
 bureaus, and farmers will immedfatel
 begin to reap the benefits of the cer
 sus through advice and informatio
 from the United States Department ( Agriculture, the State Agricultural Go
 1ege at Storrs and the Food Suppl
 Committee on Food Supply and Cor
 servation of the Connecticut Stat
 Council of Defense. Various means (
 using the census returns to advantag
 are now being worked out by the coul
 ty farm bureaus.