The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-01-01

In Feeding America, This Is Just as
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
l0mats and high executives. They are
that-but not just that. Every man
certainly every farmer-has a 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 their 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
matte uncertainty. Such a practice
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 it is as
true physically as spiritually that nan
does not live by bread alone. Very
largely, he lives by neat. And meat
animals-and milk animals-do not
grow on grain alone. Most largely,
they grow and produce on green grass
and dry grass-rasture and hay.
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, a return, to
sound agricultural Notwithstanding
to pasture and hay lots, to clover and
other fertiliZer-ixing crops. some Of
the land that had been used for grain
during the val emergency. The sug-
gestion has been criticized from some
quarters. because in some quarters it
has been misunderstood.
Specifically, the department recon-
mended that 1t was not advisable to
undertake to 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, insuring
| Rool Eo~ thu ro,0ok 0~Srnnlr 1,-o,> ,,,1soh
| the tables Of the nation depend.
This return to sound agricultural
practice is important to the farmer,
certainly. But it is not more impor-
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 fertility-draining 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.
zone honest John Tompkins, a hedg.
er and ditcher," that perfectly con-
tented man whose praises are sung In
the old verse, had a habit Of saying
III I can get meat, l can surely get
bread" Maybe his reasoning was
| faulty. But 1t was not a bit more
| faulty than that of some business and
| Industrial leaders who say, by infer.
ence: If w car get bread, we can
| surely get meat"
Lack Of pastures is a serious handi.
cap to production Of low-cost milk.
The man does not live who can pro.
duce beef economically without pas.
ture.
And, just as surely, the man does
| not live who car produce low-cost pork
~ithOu. pasture.