Evening star., 1939-09-27

dUu1ludACc VI pTuCClCAlly Au kulUS
of food. There's enough to supply
this country amply for the coming
year. In many cases not only Is
there enough but some to spare.
No crystal gazers are the men in
the Department of Agriculture who
arrived at this answer-but realistic
economists. For years they have
been keeping tab of the agricultural
supplies of the Nation by a reliable
system Of crop bookkeeping.
Now, with the season of greatest
productiveness we'll over, they know
what this years harvest has been for
most Of the important crops. For
crops yet to be gathered they can
make reasonable estimates. And to
round out the picture they have an
account Of the food brought forward
from last year, deposited for the
time being in granaries and cold
storage depots.
1t has been after appraising these
food assets and balancing them
against the amount of food the pop
ulation of this country normally
eats that the economists have made
the reassuring estimate of plentiful
supplies. To the homemaker the
following summary of important
commodities may serve as a general
preview Of coming winter groceries.
Perhaps OF first interest are the
two great cereal foods-wheat and
corn. Ordinarily the United States
produces each year more than
enough wheat for this country. Nine
teen hundred thirty-nine has been
no exception. The large amount sof
wheat left over from last year, plus
this years average crop, add up to
abundant supplies for home use,
surpluses for export.
Corn is principally a feed crop.
But the large corn supplies on hand
now are important to the consumer
interested in future supplies of meat,
lard, and dairy products. There's
about an average crop expected this
year. Added to this there's large
carryover from last year.
Ample supplies of sugar are also
available. On hand now are con-
siderably larger stocks Of it than
there were last year at this same
time. In addition, there is a re-
serve supply left over from last year
that could be used in case of
shortage. And to further insure
uninterrupted sugar supplies, all
quota restrictions on sugar imports
were suspended by presidential proc
lamation of September IL, 1899.
The United States grows nearly
one-third of the sugar she uses. She
imports most of the rest of it from
her territories. from the Philippine
Islands, and from nearby Cuba.
The rice situation looks much like
the wheat situation drawn to small
er scale. Large crops during the
recent years have resulted in in
creased stocks carried over each
year. With this years average rice
crop that means there will be ample
supplies for domestic use, surpluses
for export.
AS a natural consequence of boun-
tiful feed crops, there has been a
sharp increase in livestock. dairy,
and poultry products during the past
several years.
Total meat supplies for the rest
of 1899, through 1910, promise to be
the largest in five years. Biggest
news concerns pork-which may be
back to pre-drought levels during
the coming year. Beef supplies are
expected to be adequate, may in
crease little over the past year.
AS goes pork-so goes lard. This
year, Of course, that means more"
Or to quote the economists ver-
batim, Lard production is expected
to be increased sharply and the to-
tai supply of other domestic fats
and oils is likely to be large"
Peak year for dairy products is
just over. The coming year shows
no indications of topping that rec
ord. However, it does bid fair to
be better-than-average dairy year.
mot a lot of change"-seems to
sum up what the poultry estimates
show for the coming year. There
may be somewhat larger supply of
both poultry and eggs. Turkeys are