The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-12-06
FARMER :. =.
IS MAN OF HOUR
BY MARY HENkE

creased food production has given
new importance to the British farm
er. As in the United States, the man
who tills the land in England is be-
ginning to see the advantage in or
ganization, and is becoming business
man who knows the worth of his out
put. instead of the ignorant peasant
who used to hold his few acres of land
under a hereditary lord.
The breaking up of many great
landed estates has given the British
farmer his chance. He has the OPP
portunity of buying his farm in a
large enough tract to insure profit
from the production. Farmeres' as
sociations are developing and are
forming reciprocal agreements with
farmers of other nations that will aid
in distribution of seed and farm sup
plies.
1t is on the dairy farms that the
greatest waste seems to have develop
ed. Milk sells at such an extravagant
price that the farmer merely sells his
milk to the highest bidder and lets
the supply Of butter and cheese look
out for itself. Government control of
dairy products is said to be partially
to blame for this situation. Farmers
AAes'O ASOAA~ SANAAAoOAvS0 0AoOAO " pave
butter and cheese on the market at
what they considered fair price and
have refused to market their supply at
all. In some parts of England it was
reported that cheese and milk were
fed to the hogs because the farmers
refused to sell at the prices offered.
In spite of various methods of encour-
agement to stimulate the output Of
butter, the supply still runs very short
of the national needs. The present
ration is an ounce person q week, all
though many T Yseholds find means
Of getting abon, che order and obtain
ing the amount they require.
The high cost of poultry feed, has
cut down the number of fowls kept by
farmers until the price of eggs has be-
come almost prohibitive. On city mar
kets eggs are bought singly instead OF
by the dozen. They sell for ten to fif-
teen cents each. Many farmers re.
fuse to keep poultry for marketing
purposes because of the small margin
/ of profit.
Is Plenty Of Meat.
Although meat Is still rationed there
seems to be no shortage and English
families consume what would be con.
sidered an unusually large amount by
, VIC 0VOA 06O <1AAOAACoA. 1lcSu CukllSU
meat from the farms is now obtainable
and is welcomed eagerly by persons
who have had a g,pg diet Of frozen
; meat from America and the colonies
! The high food prices are partly
: caused by the fact that the farmer is
having his troubles in getting back to
a pre-war basis, just as the business
! man is. On nearly every farm it was
, - nyyt <1o ~
stock kept during the war because OF
lack of men to take care of it. Only
/ by the aid of the Women's Land army
were the farmers able to carry on a,
! all, and now that the war is over, they
find it necessary to build up their
herds again and work for the larger
production that the government has
been urging. It takes time and the
British farmer cannot be blamed If he
does not seem to be increasing his out
put as fast as the public thinks he
! should.
There is no noticeable shortage Of
food in England, as some reports
might lead one to believe. Although
sugar is rationed, a halt pound to g
person. there is enough for candy aud
fancy cakes and similar luxuries Of
food that had to be given up to 8
great extent during the war. Protes,
has been made that needed milk ant
sugar is used for Sweets" but this
has had no effect on the output. Can
dy. however. is every expensive. Choco
clates sell at set price OF 81 pound
and thfs A;heaper candies at almost a.
high price, bring a good profit 70,
the dealer. On other foods, that are
not subsidized. profits in excess o.
fair amounts are frequently made, anG
prosecution is prompt when such cases
are reported.