The record. (Greenville, Ky.) 1899-1???, 1918-03-07
ALI. AROUND
THE FARM
INCREASE FoC) CROPS.

D. 4. Houston, secretary of agricul
ture, in q 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 the
shortage of such crops practically
throughout the world there is no risk
in the near future Of excessive produc-
ton such as sometimes has resulted in
unremunerativc prices to producers.
This is particularly true of the
cereals and of peas, beans, cowpeas.
soy beans and buckwhcat In view Of
the world scarcity Of food there is
hardly possibility that the production
Of these crops by the farmers Of the
United States can be too great this
year, and there is abundant reason to
expect generous price returns for all
available surplus.
The most effective step that may be
taken to increase the production OF
these crops is to enlarge the acreage
devoted to them in the regions where
they are grown hnbitualiy. This ex
pansiOn of acreage should be to the
limit permitted by available Gocd seed
labor and equipment.
Good Seed Wheat Necessary.
The minimum quality Of seed grain
that should be relied upon under exist.
ing conditions is Il very difficult point
to decide. In general it is not wise to
risk planting seed wheat showing less
than - or SO per cent termination nor
that weighing less than City pounds to
the buShel. II tic land is prepared.
thoroughly and otherwise is suitable
the use of spriEg wheat weighing as
low as forty-fve pounds per bushel,
IL it shows good termination, may be
advisable where better seed is lacking
The Usefulness of Oats and Barley.
If land intended for spring wheat
cannot be pat into GCCd condition ear
" enough for seeding, oats IL barley
can be substituted to good advantage
in the sections where tEcse crops are
known to Go we'll. i5&l'icT can be re
lied On in the proved areas Of Wis
cousin, Minnesota. Iowa. the Dakotas
and Montana, while oats have a much
wider range. The case. with which
barley may be substitutes. directly for
wheat i'll human food AHA its useful
ness to replace wheat milling byprod-
ucis as food III the production of the
Dlilk supply renders it's abundant pro
Guction important. Bar.Cy where II
succeeds yields larger weight CT feel
per acre than any other small grain
tTop. With an abundance Of oats and
barley available much closer milling
Of wheat than at present could be
! precticeG, il necessary, without endan-
gerins the milk supply, Which consri-
J tutes SO important an element il the
; dietary of Consumers.
BucfWiieat For Late Planting.
Buckwheat may he planted Later thlD
.Gy similar crop and often does well
Oh cid meadows OF waste land that
can be broken after tic moro e3aetiig
crops are planted. In some se:ttons
| wheve experience has demonstrated
! that the cereals, except rye, cannot
be relied on, buckWheat is q crop Of
considerable Importance. Tho acreage
could well lie Increased, especially III
| portions Of New York, Pennsylvania
! and New England, where the crop now
| Is grown to a considerable extent.
Expand the Corn Acreage.
Corn is the leading feed and fcet
crop OF the United States in geograph.
lc range Of production, acreage and
:Gantity Of product. The vital impor-
lance Of large acreage OF this crop
| properly cared for. therefore, is GDvi-
Gus. Because Of the prices obtained
! Cor the last crop and the world demand
| for this grain it's profitableness to the
! American farmer during the approach
ing season is clear. Conditions now
warrant the planting of. the largest
! acreage Cf this crop which it is posi-
lie to handle effectively.
Although fall is the proper time for
! breaking sod for corn, there are many
/ unprOGuctive and foul meadows and
! Indifferent pastures i'll Illinois, Indiana,
! Ohio and the middle Atlantic and
northeastern states that under existing
! conditions can be broken now to a(:.-
vantage and planted to corn. The re-
/ suitiEg reduction of hay and pasture
! would be more than replaced by the
corn stOyer, ensilage and grain PR
iluccd
Potatoes and Vegetables.
Seed potatoes should be conserved
by planting Oil the best lands available
i for them and planning for thorough
tillage and protection OF the crop
against disease and insect pests. Potd-
toes can be grown most advantageous;
" near the ccnters Of population III
the northern states, where tranaDOrt;l-
ton cost may be reduced to a mini
mum. This crop is capable of quick
and large increase of production when
conditions are favorable.
The duty Of the inGivi.i'.2! :>-..,c. ct
this time is to increase his production,
particularly Of food crops. II he has
control OF tiilable land not IL use or
money lying idle or labor unemployed
he should extend his operations: SO as
to employ thGsa resources u the fullest
extent. THIS does not iT1@an that he
sb ,Uld RIB his land. waste his ca:.itai
or expcnd his labor fruitIeEs,;j-. but that
by wise planning and earnest effort he
sho'1,d turn OEt greater quantity 81
food cr3ps than ever before re will
not lose by Il, and he VIII perform an
important service il supporting his
to1ntry in tie task that l;ps l.Aforfa -