The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-04-03
THIS |>/0E 0|EA0TEACHUEP/ REDLUZJ EAA/DS


planting of everything susceptible Oh
producing foodstuffs for the United
States and for the world at large IL
necessary none were more loyal, none
made greater efforts than the owners
of farms throughout the United States.
Many men who had previously planted
but small acreage did their UTMOST
to increase their fields, and as result
our potato crop for 1917 exceeded py
more than 1OO.OOO,O0O bushels that OF
any other year.
Then labor on the farms was SUD-
stantially undisturbed. but later came
the call for volunteers for the army
and the navy and finally the military
draft. Agricultural workers began TO
leave the farms by reason OF the lure
of the higher wages Of the munitlon
factories and the patriotic bids OF the
| fighting services.
"The consequence of this tide OF
trained men moving away from the
farms told hurtfully before the close OF
agricultural activity. Many farmers
who had planted crops with the ex-
pectation of thoroughly cultivating
them. harvesting and storing what
might be necessary and selling the sur
plus found themselves towards the lat
ter part of the season without the
needful help to finish the cultivation.
or, if this were done. they were after
ward without aid at the time of har-
vest. It was only logical that large
quantities of foodstuffs were left I'M
gathered and spoiled where they
stood.
"My own experience has been much
like that of many others in trying to
respond to the presidential appeal.
Last spring I decided to use every re-
source to produce as large crop as
possible Of foodstuffs. both to feed a
big herd of milk producing cattle and
to raise young stock to sell in the mar
kets Of the world.
81 need from 80 to 40 men all the
time, as 1 have nearly 400 head OF
mich cows, young stock, etc, and the
growing of feed for these cattle as well
as the care of them demands a good
force of farm laborers. 1t was plain
to me last spring that I was likely to
run short of workers and accordingly
I secured a number of Brown univer
, sity students and some high schoo
, boys, in all about twelve.
; "NIost of these young men were with
out any knowledge of farm operations
a Some of the high school boys were
, worse than useless; they were a nuts
, ance and had to be got rid of. The uni
yersity men, being acquainted with on
another worked together and did yer,
we'll. but even so they had to be unde
the care and direction of experiences
;. men nearly all the time.
=. "a short while ago I seriously con
a sidered selling every head Of cattl
II that owned and letting the land Ii
!, idle until more help could be secured
A Upon second thought I decided not t
q do this for economic reasons.
!. "In my establishment I expect t
4 produce this year 100000 pounds @
!. milk from my dairy herd. large nun
Der of young stock. approximately 2O'
and other products. 1t would be som,
e thing of a public calamity to dissipat
=. these resources. Let me make thl
= palmer.
4. 1.-THE 100000 pounds of milk
20 count upon getting is the equivalent
20 food value of 1,OOO.OOO pounds Of bee
: To obtain 100000 pounds of be,
% would take 1000 head of cattle dres
ID ing 500 pounds apiece after conside
o. able period of feeding and fattening.
3. But when 1000 head of cattle ha,
Is been killed and turned into beef the
10 vital course comes to an end. TT
,s dairy herd. on the other hand, eve
al while yielding 100000 pounds
milk and giving birth to from 200
Is 800 calves, still remains intact ar
IN capable of further production and r
rs production.
d. Bearing these facts in mind. l
going to try to keep things running, b
is the outlook is not encouraging.