The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-02
Farmers and Their Bit.
(Rutland Herald.


We have heard lot Of talk during
the past year about increased food
production, but a very large proper
ton of the increase in Vermont last
year came from village and city gar
dens The farmer increased some
crops, but, because of some unfavora-
pie conditions, the output was not so
large as the early estimates promised
Part of this was due TO lack of eff
hclent help, but a part. also, was due
10 the chronic scepticism of the farm
er, with strong quality of selfshness
ana suspicion of motive thrown in. This
condition will be emphasized the com
ing spring. Despite increased prices.
farmers generally are not making mon
ey.
The current issue of the New Eng
land Homestead devotes its leadino ar
ticle to the subject It's headinp il
Drifting Toward Starvation, : and its
burden is that unless there is more in
| ducement to raise crops than there i
| 70 go into other lines Of business. few
81 crops, not more, will be raised this
year.
It Is difficult for the Herald to find
fault with this argument. Ignorant
and lnJudlclous price-iXing brought on
the coal crisis. Government regula-
ton brought on the railroad crisis. Tn
less we are very careful, the same
causes may bring on q food crisis.
1t may not be very ereditable. but
the right to sell in the highest market
IS fundamental. That IS one thing
that makes farm help scarce. What
man can be expected to work on the
farm At - a daF when he can earn =.
high as So a day in a munitions fac
tory3
In the same way, how can we expect
farmers TO raise more crops if govern
Henf prices do not represent a living
Iproft?
| Mark this, however: We do not say
that present prices are unfair but W,
do say that many farmers are savine
Hatly that they cannot Operate tbeii
farms and live, under existing conai
tons, and those farmers ought to know
Tn the other hand. the consumer i,
fast approaching point where he can.
not pay higher prices fer produce and
llEe, 50 We have almost the classic par.
adoN OF the immovahle body and tho
irresistible force.
-hucH 81 TINS may be due to the nat
ural conditions brought about by war
out not all. 1t seems to the Herald
'hat some Of the causes existed hefor,
the var; that they are peculiar to tn,
ansvstemized and largely hap-hazatt
farming methods Of the past.
~ Is only within year or two that
farmers have been brought face f.
Iare with the need of booz-kacping. al
knowing eNactir what each field. eacI
COW, orchard, head OF stock or utbc,
farm unit Is earning in revenue an,
costing III labor and material. Their,
mas been an enormous waste on the an
eFa-e farm, and no one realizes il 81
well rs tn" progressive farmer who ba,
ihEuh. tie higur4 costSbandl an fsssll r,rs.t .
instead Of calling on the government,
Tor help. the farmer should devote hi.
braIns and the brains Of others-tb,
latter provided by said governments
the problems Of cooperation, ncirhbor
mood clubs to buy improved machinery
laihcrS associations to buy matcria
at wholesale and the various enter
pHses Of advanced farming that ta,
war has brought forth in Europc.
Meanwhile, the fact remains that nm
less something Isl dome along these limo
the situation which must confront In,
country this spring will be increaaipoI,
serious