Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-01-08
R,eor, Of Farm Commission TO Europe.

Weport of Farm Somn,osion 70 eu'VPe'
The secretary OF agriculture had
noped to present by this time IN
printed form the report OF the COM
mission appointed In August. 1919, 10
study agricultural conditions In Eng
md, France, and Italy. but there mas
,cen unavoidable delay in the prepare
tion OF manuscript and In the exchange
NJ notes among the commissioner
since their return. Hence II Ia deemed
proper to ISSUE summary In TINS
form, for Immediate information, anu
to follow later with the reports In de-
tail,
Tho commission consisted OF w. w.
Thompson. president OF Ohio state
University. chairman: Carl Nrooman'
assistant secretary OF agriculture; u.
4. Pearson, president Iowa state COL
lcge OF agriculture: Thomas Il, Hunt
dean Of the college OF agriculture, Uni
versity OF California; William \.
Taylor, chief Of the bureau Of plant IN
iustry: David II. Cocker. cotton grower,
Hartsyi,le. s. c.: George NJ. Romme''
chief Of the division OF animal nus
bandry, and George K. Argo, OF the
bureau OF markets.
Outstanding Facts.
II is difficult to summarize the re"
ports of the commission, because they
contain SO many facts that In order to
comprehend the whole situation oae
must read the reports in detail. More
over. the observations were made prior
to the armistice. which was signed on
Nov. II. and the purpose OF the Vis''
was to ascertain conditions Of Euro
pean agriculture as they related to the
agriculture of the United states under
a continuance OF the war
Some OF the outstanding facts are:
Great Britain's war agriculture IN
1918 Increased her home grown bread
supplies four-fold.
The reports for the harvest OF lsls
indicate that in the matter or bread
stuffs England could supply hersci'
forty weeks az the year as against ten
weeks in 1s16."-ThonPson
Frances production of foods de-
creased sharply, especially in sugar
beets. which were grown principally IN
the northern area where the rayages
Of war were greatest.
Prior to the war France was pro-
ducing about 500. 900 tons~ot sugar ami
consuming about 500. 900 tons.
The present production Of France
amounts to about 100000 tons. or pos
sibly with favored crop il may run TO
zoo. 900 tons.'-Thompson.
Frances production Of 5rcadstuhs'
also. declined. though the production
of 1918 was somewhat better than the
production OF 1917.
In Italy there has been some reduc-
ton of the cultivated area. but eN'
cept for wheat the reduction in th'
volume Of breadstuffs has not been
very serious
"The yield per acre also has de-
creased. the two chief direct cause:
being shortage of fertilizer and UNI
controlled growth OF weeds. Pearson
Italy's wheat production in 1918 wa
estimated at 100000 nuintals (gst
pounds) compared with. 46, l5s. on
quintals in 1914.
Live Stock.
Great Britain has maintained he
herds Of cattle and has increased hei
sheep and made small losses in hogs
All cattle in 1914 numbered l2,1S4.oO'
and in 1917. 12.3s2.23s: hogs declined
something more than 100000. Horses
| in 1914 were 2,237.7s3. and in 1917
2,1sO.3ls. Complete figures for 1911
were not available, but so far as as
certained they did not indicate ma
| teral variation from the figures o
1917.
sheep were declining In Great Brit
ain before the war for the same rea
sons as existed in the United States
They have increased in numbers sine
the beginning of the war on account OF
the increase in the prices OF wool and
eat."-Rommel
In France all live stock has declined
The comparative figures on Dec. 81
1913. and on June 30. 1917, arc as fol
lows:
1918 1917.
Cattle .. 14.7S7.710 12443.S0
Sheen 1s,131,3a tO.5sS.59
Hog. 7.o35.s5O 4.2oo..S