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Show AMERICAN FARMERS IIAVE ACHIEVED OUTSTANDING GAINS The production achieved by our American farmers, under the impetus im-petus of wartime necessity, is an outstanding performance which is not appreciated by most Americans. Ameri-cans. For the two war years, 1942 and 1943, farm production was almost 50 greater than in 1917 and '18. The same acreage was involved in the agricultural operations of the nation but 4 million fewer persons lived on farms. -One of the outstanding gains was scored in the production of corn. The nation's corn belt in 1943 equalled its all-time production record but with 6,500,000 fewer acres planted. This was largely due to hybrid corn, developed by the personal research of Henry Wallace Wal-lace before he became a member of President Roosevelt's cabinet. The increased production of American farms, despite fewer persons working, reflects the grad ual mechanization of agriculture. The process will continue and is only now getting underway in regard re-gard to cotton. |