Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-01
FOOD MOVE IN ENGLAND.
Great Britain Forsssss Material short
L ace Lone After War Ends.

0roAS BRIAN z 0roOoeU WseS,s' $3.50
age Long After War Ends.
Foreseeing serious world 1000
| shortage until long after the war and
fearing that not even the great Amerl-
can horn Of plenty will suffice to make
BIT up. the British government has tax :
en- drastic and compulsory measures
to increase its farm production.
Advices received from the British
food production department by the
United States Food Administration
outline the program, which involves
immediate preparation by the farmers
for not only 1918. but also for the 1919
and 1920 crops. The plan is being
handled by the British county agricul-
tural committees, which have received
a circular from the government in
structing them how to proceed. Eng
lands first move. just made, was to
order the compulsory conversion Of
| 9, 100000 acres Of meadowland into d.
rect crop producing soil. This VIII
give England 100000 acres under
cultivation. The government points
out that the question Of food produc-
ton has become one Of quantity rather
than Of quality, and that IAN acre un-
der wheat may yield ten times as much
human food as an acre OF good fatten-
ing pasturage."
The circular declares that II food for
England is to be provided, greater
efforts are necessary there. Under
pressure OF the war;" 1t goes on. "Eu-
rope is fast declining In productive
power We can no longer hope to OBJ
tain from abroad the quantities OF
bread and meat by which we have been
accustomed to sustain life at home.
II we do not feed ourselves, no other
countryscan or will.
1.-THE danger Of shortage extends be-
You'd the period Of war. In some re-
|spects 1t may be greatest after peace
is proclaimed.
1T Is essential that breaking up
grass land should be pressed and ex
tended. For the harvest OF 1918
100000 acres Of permanent and addi-
tional temporary grass should be brok
en- between now and the end OF April
next"
The circular does not mention the
number Of grass acres that will be or
dered broken for the 1919 and 1920
crops. but the 2,40o, 900 ordered broken
for 1918 is comparatively small area
of the 1s,50o.000 acres OF grass land in
England. The upkeep Of focks and
herds OF course prohibits breaking all
this land at once. but as the fiocks and
herds are eaten into. as will unavoid-
ably be the case with all Europes live
stock now If meat supplies are to be
kept up, the temporary breaking up OF
meadows probably will follow closely
the reduction Of livestock.
The initial. or 1918, return from this
new acreage Is not expected to be un
usually large. but the 1919 and 1920
production therefore IL expected to be
fully up to normal for British soil.
With regard to putting this program
thru, the circular gives instructions Of
a kind never yet applied to American
farmers:
In many districts" says the circu-
lar, objections and difficulties are GER
tain to be raised. Yet very substan-
tial reasons must be given by the oc-
cupier OF grass lands before he Is ex-
5empted from contributing his share to
the national task.
Notices should specify dates before
which objections may be lodged ana
the dates by which the wo-k must b,