Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-05
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

nights of the prairies. as the only
means for getting rid Of the useless
incumbrance' of straw. before the
season for sowing another crop.
1t is a trite suggestion to make TO
farmers that before overproductng
crops they should plan. by co-opefa-
ton, how to market them. without
putting themselves at the mercy of
middlemen. While that proposal
seems practical business sense, 1t does
not answer the whole problem OF sell
ing bumper crops. which by no farmer
or farm association can be foreseen.
The selling of a surplus IL more
costly to the salesman-whether mid
dleman or agent Of cooperative pro-
ducers-=than the selling Of short
crop. E - a.
What does an efficient manufacturer
do in the management Of his factory?
Does he stimulate production without
relation to the selling outlet or to the
possibility of storing his surplus until
demand reaches 1t? The department
experts point out that the solution of
the farm dilemma must be met ex
actly as the manufacturer meets the
same problem In his factory. and that
the farmers who ignore the means OF
preserving their SURPRISES or perish
able products. so as to dole them out
according to market demands, are
blind to efficiency. Orderly marketing,
they say, instead of being up to the
Government. is part of farming and
most important phase which must
be reached through partnership be
tween practical farming and chemical
research. p e.
In no part of the world has canning
proved so efficient as in America, yet
it. can be further developed. Cold
storage serves for part Of the SUR
pluses. Desiccation of eggs. as well as
refrigeration, helps to equalize sup
plies. at least for bakers. Desiccation
may be further developed.
With the apple surplus this year.
the manufacture of cider. vinegar,
canned apple sauce and apple butter
offers outlets for what cannot be sold
as fresh fruit.
The greatest relief of any surplus
is to discover means Of stimulating
demand through 'educative advertis
ing. Eat more apples" Wear more
cotton" is advertising, but not edu
cative creating new desires.
~
In. speech In the House Of Repre-
sentatives, Mr.. Cyrenus Cole, from
Iowa, discussed the part chemistry is
now playing in agriculture. He point
ed out that the protection given
against foreign competition, first by
war and then by the McCumber.Ford
ney tariff law, had stimulated research
which had worked wonders in farm
economies, through organic chemistry.
Quoting an article by DIR. william j.
Hale Of the National Research Council.
IL is stated:
"It may not be generally known
that the total annual output of all
our iron and steel plants is scarcely
one.fourth in value compared with
that of our manufactured food prod
ucts, which, exclusive of all farm sta
Piles used directly as food, amounts
to $4,000, 100000 annually"
THE time is not far away when the
feeding of corn to hogs will be classed
with that other unholy act--the feed
ing of raw bituminous coal to a fur
mace for heat supply. -.
Those who talk of solving the
farmers troubles by marketing sur
plus farm products live only for to
day. even as they see it. We shall be
importing large quantities of grain
within 10 years
When the experiment stations AMI
model farms teach the farmers how
to produce crops. they have only be-
tlcIT rear WihtbA 10 AAo"
to complete production and analyses
Of the various elements so as to util-
ize the elements to the best and most
economical values. For example, why
feed whole corn to hogs when its
germ will produce a substitute for rub
Der. its starch will make not only
laundry stiffening, but "cornstarch
food. corn strip, sugar. dextrose and
crystalline maltese? One bushel of
corn produces % pounds of sugar
Why feed sugar to hogs when It will
make candy for humans? Corn hulls
will make gluten--14.5 pounds per
bushel-and phytin containing 81 per
cent Of assimilable phosphorus. This
Is only the beginning Of the list of
products from corn, acorncobs, corn
stalks. etc.. Organic chemistry Is
demonstrating that we are literally
throwing pearls before swine" in
the gross way we are feeding whole
corn to pigs. In comparison with that
wastefulness of present farming,
Charles Lambs story Of the origin
of roast pork through burning down
he house every time one wanted
Jlich ii delicate repast was marvellous
efficiency and economy.
+eopyFisAt. 1897. ty.Raas ". eoiHnssl