The Washington herald., 1918-02-26
WHEAT CROPS
UNCERTAIN
Holland Says the Country
Should Be Prepared for
Possible Shortage.


recently on his disappointment that
IN r,any parts OF the country there
had been failure to respond to his
appeal to the banks for nation
wide subscriptions to the 100000
900 treasury certificates. referred in
detail to the fact that the New York
City and Kansas City Federal Re-
serve districts had exceeded In their
subscriptions the minimum allot-
ment and that the Minneapolis dis
trict had 50 subscribed as fully to
equal its minimum allotment. A
few days before this statement was
made by the Secretary q report
came from Washington that the
Department OF Agriculture had be-
gun preparations for agitation
whereby larger crops, especially Of
wheat, can be harvested next sum
mer and early fall than was the
case last year. Special mention was
made of the hope that the harvest
In spring wheat which will be gar
nered In the States of the North
west viii be so great as to provide
IL not an ample. at least q satisfac-
These States of the far Northwest
are included in the Minneapolis
Federal Reserve district. Much the
greater part Of the industry in that
district is agricultural. Climatic
conditions, however. must be IA
vorable II fairly good harvest of
wheat Is secured in that section.
Last year the farmers were not
only sadly disappointed in their
wheat harvest. chiefly on account
of unfavorable climatic conditions,
but also were compelled to face
serious impairments of the Indian
corn which they harvested. In fact,
the quality Of the Indian corn was
so poor that serious apprehensions
have been felt throughout the
Northwest lest II be Impossible to
secure a sufficient supply Of seed
corn of good quality with which to
cultivate the Indian cornfields OF
that section.
Farmers Respond.
Nevertheless in spite Of these dis
eouragements the farmers Of the Min
neapolis reserve district responded
willingly. almost every one in due
proportion to his means to the Sec
tanned by the Agricultural Depart
msnt that the spring wheat planting
In the Northwest will be followed by
an abundant harvest so also hope is
entertained in the Treasury Depart
ment that the farmers of the North
west will respond in April as literally
TO appeals for subscriptions to the
Third Liberty Loan as they did to
ike appeals which were made In the
autumn OF last year. The fact that
the banks OF the Minneapolis district
subscribed an amount equal to the
minimum allotment Of treasury GER
tificates for that district although the
banks In some other reserve districts
did not do as well. encourages the
belief that the farmers OF the North
west will In every way aid the gov
ernment In the spring and summer,
not only by subscriptions to the Third
Liberty Loan but also by resolute at
tempts to harvest record making
crops, especially wheat
Gradually the people have been
made aware of the fact that the food
supplies secured from the soil by
American farmers last year were in
adequate and that IL there is to be q
fairly good supply obtained in the
approaching summer and fail the
farmers in the United States must
plow. plant and cultivate to a greater
extent than ever before. 1t may be
that in the late spring and summer of
this year, climatic conditions will be
more favorable than LEY were In
lS17 and 1916 in s~-ae parts OF tho
country. In fac, II has been obser-
we'd that ra-sfy do unfavorable clima-
tic conditions prevail for a longer
time than for two successive seasons.
vitality important as the conserva-
tion OF fuel now Is and will con-
time to be 1t is equally important
that there be speeded up to the high
est peak possible the cultivation and
harvesting in 1918 of American food
supplies.
From one point OF view. the food
situation is regarded at Washington
and by some in New York who have
been giving careful study to present
day conditions as even more critical
than the fuel situation. The country
thought last fall that as a whole the
American farmers had done wonder
fully well and so in fact they did, IL
It Is borne in mind that climatic and
transportation troubles greatly i'm
paired their efforts. But when the
usuIes were dNdlldDi6 IOE COmpdrl-
son with other harvests which told
the total Of the harvest of 1917 and
also set forth the needs of ourselves
and our allies, it became apparent
that our food supply in 1917 was sadly
below requirements.
1919 Crops Short.
One Of the ablest authorities on
food production, Richard H. Ed
monds. of Baltimore, after a careful
study Of the semi-official figures stat
ed that although 1t was true that in
1917 our farmers harvested about a
billion bushels more Of grain and
foodstu1s than they did in the pre-
vious year, nevertheless, In the year
1916 our harvest was nearly 1.400, Co.,
600 bushels less than that of 1915. In
fact the yield in 1917 was about 150,-
900 bushels less than the average
yield in the past five years. This
falling on Is also true Of meat prod
ucts especially sheep and beef
The administration at Washington
in private confirmed the view taken
by Mr.. Edmonds. but it was not
deemed expedient to make public
. acknowledgment that there was dis
appointment in the amount and in
some instances the quality, espe-
ctally Of corn, of our food products
Nevertheless the record made last
year has stimulated the Depart
nent Of A A0rfcuIftrra 80 th,t % a..