Evening star., 1946-09-01

Factors that contributed to record
agricultural production during the
war years will continue to influence
agricultural output in the peace
years ahead until by 1850 farm pro-
duction should top war year records
by II per cent, according to a sur
vey published yesterday by the
Bureau of Agricultural Economics.
The report, a 99-page document,
was prepared by DR.. Sherman E.
johnson, assistant BAE chief for
produetion, "in the belief that the
first requisite for intelligent action
on our peacetime production prob
lens Is an understanding of the
nature and strength Of the forces
which have shaped our course of
agricultural production in recent
years.
These new forces" DR.. johnson
said, will continue to influence pro-
duction in the years to come. But
other forces will be injected. Some
Of these are already on the horizon
the mechanical cotton picker is an
example. Others cannot be fore
seen. But constant change must be
expected, and agriculture must adapt
itself to changes that are inevitable
and, for the most part, desirable"
Farmers Attain Great Output.
American farmers achieved q mar
velous production record during the
war years without significant ex-
pansion in crop acreage and despite
insufficient supplies of labor, ma
chinery and other materials, DR..
johnson pointed out. The increase
in total production from 1899 to
1914 was twice as large as during
the entire 20-year period from 1919
to 1889, he said.
While growing conditions were
exceptionally favorable during the
war years, and some Of the produc-
ton lag during the prewar period
can be attributed to severe drought
conditions in the '30s, ideal weather
conditions can account for no more
than about one-fourth of the war
time production gains.
This means, DR.. johnson con-
tinued, that with normal weather
the gross farm production in 1912
A would have averaged about III
per cent of 1859, and farm out
put would have averaged at least
100 per cent.
Farm output is agricultural pro-
duction for human consumption
while gross farm production would
include production for farm power
that is, for horses and mules used
on farms.
The factors that made possible
the great agricultural production
during the war rose almost without
notice, during the period between
the two great wars, DR.. johnson
said. 1t was only when World War
II created the unprecedented de-
mand for agricultural products that
the stored potential" was finally
let loose.
These factors, still developing, he
explained, were gradual increase of
farm mechanization and the re-
sultant decrease in the acreage de-
voted to raising feed for animal
farm power units; the development
OF better crop varieties, such as
hybrid corn that give greater yield
per acre; changes in land use, re-
sulting in better farm MANAGEMENT: ::
the increased use of fertilizer and
lime, and changes in livestock pro-
duction, with more emphasis in in
creasing production per animal.
Technical Developments Cited.
1.-THE most important technical
developments that stimulated
mechanization in the interwar
years." DR.. johnson said, "were the
introduction of the general-purpose
tractor adapted for a wide variety
Of farm jobs, the introduction OF
rubber tires for tractors and other
farm machines and the design OF
farm equipment for use with
tractors"
Despite war restrictions on the
manufacture of farm machinery, the
report stated, the number of tractors
on farms increased "a per cent from
1910 to 1945; the number of grain
combines increased IA per cent;
corn pickers increased So per cent
and milking machines increased
lit per cent.
with the removal of limitations
on manufacture of machinery
farmers are likely to increase Their
purchases considerably, and by 1886
there may be at least 1900, 900 trac-
tors on FARMS" the report stated.
Among the changes in land use
resulting in increased farm produc-
ton, the most significant were in
creased crop rotations, improve
ments Of pasture crops and better
soil conservation practices. BY the