Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-05-20
GROWING liHD SCARCITY


GROWING ll"D SCARCITY
The people of Vermont and other east
ern States must face the immediate ne
.essity of producing more Of their own
food. Time was when most of the peo-
pie of the Green Mountain State as we'll
az the rest of New England not only pro-
duced their own meat and grain prod
ucts, but also clothed themselves.
At the present time we depend largely
on Chicago packing houses for our meats,
as we'll as other products. We buy western
flour, we depend entirely on the outside
world for our boots and shoes and our
clothing. We even buy Maine canned corn.
although no State in the Union produces
finer brand of sweet corn for canning
than Vermont Indeed we have allowed
our birthright to be stolen in more ways
than one. We permit Maine to can our
corn in some instances and label 1t Maine
Made"
It is easy to demand increased produce
ton IN Ul11eTeuI lines At ilOHlc. III many
directions this is impossible under ex-
listing conditions. 1t is an absolute ne
cessity that Vermont raise more potatoes
and wheat and more pork and poultry,
and all this is within our reach. Every
man and woman with a garden plot.
no matter how small, should at once take
measures to grow something to help out
the threatened food shortage.
The Boston Herald has been conducting
a survey of New England with reference
to the outlook for the coming winter, and
the results of its canvass are startling
in the extreme. More hopeful reports as
10 crop conditions come from the West
at this particular time, as we shall show
later. but we should not let these re-
assure us in our SNUG complacency.
In summarizing the works of its can
vassers the Herald shows that various
causes are combining to cut down food
production in New England at this time.
One Of the menaces to crops is the back
ward Spring. The late season is setting
back work. particularly potatoes and
preparation for cereals. Long continued
rains have made low land unusually wet
It will therefore be necessary to devote
more of the highland to cultivate crops
In order to make good the average.
The draining OF the farm regions OF
the supply Of labor by high wages in thu
ntt to oil M
parations for the usual crop cultivation
Still another factor, in the adverse sit
uation is the high prices commanded b,
potatoes and all other kinds Of seed Thes
crop production to q dangerous degree
unless strenuous efforts are made T.
utilize all possible lab,- and sava an,
use all available seed supplies In els
GUESSING the situation the Herald says:
"Thsu The Eailroad situation Is 'pyitin
the brake On farm operations The SHOWS
STRIKES ana er,barxoes have kept tire nee
essarY fertilizers from reaching Aroo
stook county. Maine. one OF ths importan
potato psIts OF tho country. where abou
y psr cent OF az the potatoes consume
IN the N.~ England States ara raiset
slr,,!a. conditions are retarcias agricu
tu-ai operations al over the country. Som
fertilizer factories hare stopped sh,ppin
for want OF hello. Farm machinery
months late IN de,ipefy from facte ries
the Cantyai West, aInc tine available mi
chimes in the Boston rna-iSs' have gol
UP IN price. so tina. man. farmers a
planning to do without nov machine
doubling up on equipment and exchan
Ing work. OrcAardists find spraying m
tcria.s equally hard to get for simil
lesson.
The grain and feed situation likewi
10 putting an embargo upon farm oper
:ions. with human labor scarce and d
mandng almost impossible wages, t
farmers m ost natural recourse would
to horse cultivation and tho crops tn
can be rairAd b. that method; but go
hay has been retailed at about SIS t
or more. according to locality. and h
even sold Il. Wholesale in some instanc
fov moro than that. while grain. whe
obta.nablc, retails at prices varying fr'
So TO nv~Ily IS a bag
"IIo go flesh is very expensive. II 4:
ner has TO purchase a capable fam tea
Sash being tho ca. o. many dai,ymen IN