Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-05-13
May Be Real Shortage of Food
in United States
Season from Two to Five Weeks Late,
with Too Much Rain-Lack Of
Help Adds to Farmers
Troubles

Mr. Estabrook says that from now on {
weather will be the decisive factor II It I
Is favorable we need not worry: we will
have enough to eat and a small surplus
for export. II il Is sair. we will probably
have just about enough for our own USE
II the growing season is markedly I'M
favorable, the United States may for
the FIRST time in its history fail to pro-
duce enough footstuffs for domeatic con- =
sumption. II
There are. Mr.. Estabrook explains. three
main factors in agricultural production
the farm acreage. labor and weather. As
a result Of labor shortage and unfavor-
able weather conditions. tho acreage plant :,
ed in the United States this year IL be-
low normal. Thus al the factors are ad-
verse to largo production.
ATE sPRINo SERIOUS
IT, 1T dnfavorable weather condi-
ton a: is late spring. Tho season
is from .wo to Ave weeks late all over the
United States. A late spring in one seq |
ton Of the country II not unusual, but
late spring all over the country does |
not occur once In % years.
As a result Of this late spring. with much !
rain. blowing and planting have been de-
layed in almost every section. Oats in
Maryland and Virginia. for example,
should have been planted about March
is. For the most part, the land in which
they should have been planted has not
even been plowed. The land has been too
wet for blowing. 1t would not hold up
a horse" and besides If land is plowed
when too wet. 1t compacts and cannot
be cultivated. As q result Of these condi-
tions. many farmers in this section will
not plant any oats at all.
Cotton has Nuffered In much the Same
way. An early planting Of cotton is nee
essary, not only because cotton needs a
long growing season, but also because the
crop must be matured early to escape
the ravages Of the boil weevil. In the
more northern cotton States. 1t has been
| impossible to plant the crop at the right
time, or even to plow the ground. The re-
sui is that some farmers will not plant
cotton. and that some crops will grow up
late at the mercy of the boil weevil.
These are merely examples. Many other
crops are equally threatened by the late
season. The thing neeced above all is
warm period without rain. Farmers say
that 1t has rained every Friday for
months. couple of rainless weeks now
would be q Godsend.
| RAIN NEEDED LATER
The rain will be needed later. II this
late spring is followed by dry summer.
it will be a catastrophe. because the young
plants. started late. will be unable to re-
sist drought.
Aside from the lateness of the sea-
son. many farmers are forced to plant
less this year than last because they can
not get labor to help them In planting
and blowing. and they do not see much
prospect Of getting the necessary help In
harvest time The tendency. as shown by
reports coming to the bureau of crop
estimates. Is for the farmer to plant just
what he can handle comfortably with the
help Of his family. The fact that prices
Of farm products are showing a tendency
, to fall without the ultimate consumer
, getting any of the benefit) is also discour-
aging the farmer from large planting
Prices for hogs. for example. have faller
: Is per cent, although pork has not faller
nearly that much. And the farmer 1.
told that prices Of foodstuffs are going
still lower. Therefore he is not enthu
siastic for large paintings.
ROADS ROB FARMERS OF MEN
e But the shortage Of labor. next to tn,
= late season, is the chief factor in keep
= ing down the acreage. There are severa
causes for this shortage. One Of the mos
: immediate is the great activity in roa'
4: building. In almost every section of TIL
. country roads are being built by fedora
aid, and farm labor is turning to tn
= roads. A hired man on . farm make
/ from $S5 to 500 a month and his board
The road gangs offer him from "a to 5
day. The workman prefers the large
cash return.
e Industry in the cities is also draining tn
n farm labor supply. as II has always done
A very usual thing these days 10 for