Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1920-01-10

Prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture)
You have heard a great deal about
the problems of reconstruction that are
pressing for solution. But, like most
men, you have probably thought of
them as tremendously big problems
that had to be solved, nationally and
internationally, by statesmen and dip
lomats and high executives. They are
that-but not just that. Every man.
certainly every farmer-has recon
struction problem all his own.
The war unbalanced the agriculture
Of the United States by unbalancing
the agriculture of individual farms.
There had to be produced the kind of
food that could be transported over
seas. Wheat is pre-eminently that
kind of food, and other grain crops are
to an extent such. Very many farms.
therefore, got too heavy on the side of
titled and cereal crops and too light
on the side of hay crops and pasture.
Many farmers increased theft titled
and cereal crops beyond what they had
any basis of experience in carrying.
Labor requirements were increased.
Rotation practices were interfered
with. To the extent that the wheat
acreage was increased, the climatic
hazard was increased, because, under
the extensive farm practice that char
acterIzes American agriculture, wheat
is a crop that is very sensitive to eli
ms In sFuf enkVr
long continued was likely to result,
therefore, not in increased food pro-
duction at all, but in actually reduced
food production. In the long run, that
would be the inevitable result. Even,
II by some miracle, the hazard of
weather could be escaped the practice
would reduce soil fertility until yields
would be greatly cut down. But, be-
fore that even. meat production would
be harmfully reduced. For 1t is as
true physically as spiritually that man
does not live by bread alone Very
largely, he lives by meat And meat
animals-and milk animals-do not
grow on grain alone. Most largely,
they grow and produce on green grass
anu vi 6Lu past anu Auys
Return to Sound Farming.
Those are some of the reasons why
the United States department of agri-
culture began urging, almost immedi-
ately after the signing of the armistice
and continuously since. return to
sound agricultural practIce-returning
to pasture and hay lots, to clover and
other fertilizer-fxing crops, some of
the land that had been used for grain
during the war emergency. The sug-
gestion has been criticized from some
quarters, because in some quarters it
has been misunderstood.
Specifically, the department recon-
mended that it was not advisable to
undertake 10 maintain the wheat acre
age sown for the crop of 1919. That
did not imply that the department
urged a smaller food production in the
country. 1t did mean that the depart
ment was urging an increase in the
food production of the country by
steadying agriculture, by reducing the
hazards that necessarily play into the
hands of spectators, by returning agri-
culture to a peace basis that would in
sure adequate production of all kinds
Of food. for this year and for other
years. And that meant restoring pas
lures. restoring hay fields, lnsuring
feed for the meat animals upon which
the tables Of the nation depend.
This return to sound agricultural
practice is important to the farmer,
certainly. But 1t IS not more lmpor-
tant to the farmer than It is to the city
man. 1t has to do just as much with
reducing the high cost of living as with
reducing the high labor requirements
and the fertiIlty-draiuing practice of
farming.
Wheat. officials of the department of
agriculture point out. does not key the
cost Of living. 1t is merely one of a
number of coordinate elements.
"One honest John Tompkins, a hedg-
er and ditcher." that perfectly con-
tented man whose praises are sung in
the old verse, had habit Of saying:
"If can get meat, can surely get
bread" Maybe his reasoning was
faulty But 1t was not bit more
faulty than that of some business and
industrial leaders who say, by infer
enee: ''If we can get bread, we can
surely get meat"
Lack OF pastures is a serious handi-
cap to prod1ction of low-cost milk.
The man does not live who can pro-
duee beef economically without pas
ture.
And, Just as surely, the man does
not live who can produce low-cost pork