The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-26
PROSPECTS FOR
WHEAT HARVEST
BY HOLLAND

New York, February 25.-(Special.)- Sec
rotary McAdoo. when speaking recently
on his disappointment that in many parts
i of the country there had been failure
to respond to his appeal to the banks for
nation wide subscriptions to the 100000,
600 treasury certificates, referred in de-
tail to the fact that the New York city
and Kansas City federal reserve districts
had exceeded in their subscriptions the
minimum allotment and that the Mime
apolis district had SO subscribed as full
y to equal its minimum allotment
A few days before this statement was
made by the secretary report came
from Washington that the department of
agriculture had begun preparations or
agitation whereby larger crops, especial
ly 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 garnered in the states of
the northwest will be so great as to
provide, if not an AMPLE, at least, a sat
isfactory supply of new wheat next fall
These states of the far northwest are
included in the Minneapolis federal re-
serve district. Much the greater part of
cultural Climatic conditions, however,
must be favorable if fairly good har-
vest of wheat is secured in that section.
Last year the farmers were not only sad
ly disappointed in their wheat harvest,
chiefly on account of unfavorable climatic
conditions, but also were compelled to
face serious impairment of the Indian
corn which they harvested. In fact, the
quality of the Indian corn was so poor
that SeriOlIS apnrehenSionS have hoa,
felt throughout the northwest lest it be
impossible to secure a sufficient supply
of seed corn of good quality with which
to cultivate the Indian corn fields of that
section.
Nevertheless, in spite of these dscour-
agements the farmers of the Minneapolis
reserve district responded willingly, al
most every one in due proportion to his
means, to the second liberty loan. If
hope is tentertained by the agricultural
department that the spring wheat plant
ing in the northwest will be followed by
an abundant harvest 50 also hope is
entertained in the treasury department
that the farmers of the northwest will
respond in April as literally to appeals
for subscriptions to the third liberty
loan as they did to like appeals which
were made in the autumn of last year.
The fact that the banks of the Mime
apolis district subscribed an amount
equal to the minimum allotment Of treas
ury certificates for that district, although
the banks in some other reserve districts
did not do as well, encourages the be-
lief that the farmers of the northwest
will in every way aid the government in
the spring and summer not only by sub
scriptions to the third liberty loan, but
also by retsolute attempts to harvest
record making crops, especially wheat
PLOW-PLANT-A CULTIVATE
Gradually the people have been made
aware of the fact that the food supplies
secured from the soil by American farm
ers last year were inadequate and if there
Is to be a fairly good supply obtained
in the approaching summer and fall the
farmers in the United States must pillow,
plant and cultivate TIC a greater extent
than ever before. 1t may be that in the
late spring and summer of this year,
climatic conditions will be more favor
able than they were in 1917 and 1916
in some parts of the country. In fact,
it has been observed that rarely do
unfavorable climatic conditions prevail
for a longer time than for two success
sive seasons. sss
vitality important as the conservation
of fuel now is and will continue to be
it is equally important that there be
speeded up to the highest peak possible
the cultivation and harvesting in 1918 of
American food supplies.
From one point of view, the food situa-
ton is regarded at Washington and by
some of those 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 farm
ers had done wonderfully well and so,
in fact they did, if it is borne in mind
that climatic and tran sportation troubles