Gilpin observer., 1918-09-05
GERMAN CROPS
WILL Be SHORT
Dry Weather CurtaiIs Production
of Vegetables.
SUGAR IS MUCH scARcER
Soldiers Sent to Russia to Harvest
Grain and Seize II for Army Needs
PLAGUE Of Insects Destroys Pota-
toes and cabbaoe-Six to Seven
Ounces Of Sugar Is Weekly Allow
anee Permitted. by Government.

All the troubles Of the kaiser and
his aids are not confined to the Sois-
sons-Reims sector, as is indicated by
the reports Of food crops in Germany
which are reaching officials of the
United States government. In the
south and west of Germany favorable
conditions prevail due chiefly to rains
and intensive cultivation.
In middle Germany, however, and
especially In Mechlenburg and POM
erania, the dry weather has curtailed
or destroyed the vegetable crops, and
Importation of foodstu{fs from other
parts of the empire already have been
found necessary.
To complicate the situation In the
drought ridden areas, plaques of 4n-
sects have attacked the potato crop
and all but destroyed 1t. The cab
bage crop has suffered heavily in this
respect. too.
In some sections of Germany an
excellent fruit crop is reported. while
In other parts 1t Is only mediocre
and scarcely sufficient to meet the
needs of the civilian population dur
ing the summer months.
Soldiers Harvest In Russia.
In the face Of the shortage Ger
many is sending soldiers equipped
with thrashing machines into the Rus
sian grain country, harvesting the
crops and taking what she desires.
usually all. and giving the peasants
little. In Poland and Lithuania
horses and cattle are being seized,
along with timber, with no payments
made and no receipts given for the
supplies the Germans "requisitiOn."
The beet sugar crop in Germany is
about 100000 tons short, although
a price of 80 cents bushel was al
lowed to the farmers as means OF
stimulating Its production. One OF
the causes of failure in production
was found In the shortage of coal
at the sugar factories. Many OF
them were unable to obtain coal at all
and used fodder from the fields and
other similar materials for fuel.
A report on the table allotment of
sugar in Germany which has reached
this country shows that from six to
seven ounces a week for each person
is allowed by the government. This
is almost the same quantity that is
allowed to the people Of the United
States under the new sugar cOnserva-
tion regulations put into effect by the
food administration.
Sugar in Preserves Forbidden.
, The use of sugar in jams, pre-
serves and other canned fruits has
been forbidden and all sugar is be-
ing used only to meet the table needs
of the German population. =
Virtually all the vegetables that are
being grown in Germany are being
produced by women and girls. Men.
regardless Of their ages, have been
sent to the munitions plants unless
previously called on for military serv.
Ice. An official of the military sys-
TEN occupying position corresponds
Ing to local food director is determin-
ing the proportion of each garden and
vegetable crop which the producers
may keep for their own use ana
the part which must be sent into the
cities for consumption there or canned
for transportation to the front.
One of the severe hardships to
which the German civilian population
Is being subjected is in the shortage
of soap. Inability to obtain caustic
soda and other ingredients used in
soap making virtually has ended the
Supnlv fnr CiIiytan uea