Show q S 1 FOOD CROPS OF THE UNITED to STAlES MUST BE INCREASED TO THE LIMIT i Houston Farmers to Increase Increase Increase In- In ii S Secretary r tary of Agriculture Urges crease Their Acreage of All Grains and Vegetables War Vegetables War i Demands and World Food Shortage Should Be Be 3 4 Met b by Farmers Farmer of United States r Agriculture of Secretary tore ture Houston recently Issued a u statement slate slate- tho the Importance to ment emphasizing the the notion nation of n a generously r Y adequate foo food supply for the coming y year nr in S r view of the economic problems which may arise as a n result of the entrance of at the United States Into the w war w arMany ar Many Man millions of p people ople across thet theS the yeas seas ens as ns well t as our own o people says nys S the secretary secretory must r rely ly in large part upon the tho products of or our fields and ranges This situation will vill continue to tD exist even though hostilities should end unexpectedly soon soon since European Euro Euro- perm penn production cannot be restored Immediately to its normal basis Recognition Rec nee r of the fact that the world at I large ns as' as aswell well as as our own consumers must rely more strongly lv on American tanners farmers tills this y year ye-nr nr than ever before 0 should hould encourage them to strive to the utmost to meet these urgent 5 S 5 needs Enlarged production n of dur our staple food fOOl crops Is the most Important service sety ice required of our agriculture accord accord- accordIng In tag Ing to the secretary He says No Chance of Over S Because of the shortage of such r crops practically throughout the world 1 there Is no no risk In the near future of ot excessive production such as sometimes sometimes some some- times has hns resulted In prices to producers This Is particularly S Jarly true of the cereals and of peas 4 beans cowpeas cowpens soy beans benns and buck- buck In view of the world scarcity SS of food there here Is hardly a possibility Pl that t the production of these cro crops s by bythe j.- j. r the the farmers of the United States States can cnn be be too great grent this this' year and there Is 15 abundant reason renson to expect generous price o returns ns for all an 1 Available surplus sur sur- plus i iThe The most effective st step p that may maybe maybe maybe be taken to Increase the production of these crops Is to enlarge the acreage acreage acre acre- age devoted de devoted to them In the regions where they are grown habitually This 55 expansion of acreage should l 1 be to to the the limit Umit permitted by available good seed labor and equipment equipments Taking the winter wheat territory as a whole has occurred oc oc- to an extent very much greater grenter U than m usual This obviously If not c com compensated corn corn- m- m for In some way will mean menn reduction In the supplies of or our most important bread cereal c Where winter wheat has been damaged damaged dam dam- ng aged d sufficiently to Justify the abandonment abandonment aban aban- of fields Gelds It should by all mentis means be replaced by spring-planted spring food crops preferably small grains or orS S corn orn The condition of the winter wheat crop as ns shown by the department department depart depart- ment In its last report Is more than 0 25 per cent below the average condition condition condi condl- i tion April 1 for the past ten years This condition forecasts a production O this year nearly bushels less Jess than that of 1010 1016 and bushels less than the crop of 1915 Value of Oats and Barley Climatic requirements of spring r wheat during the last few weeks of Its growth r render It a n more risky crop than others to plant outside the areas In which its production has bas b been en proved t to to tobe be successful so that It it itIs Is not mot recommended for regions where oats or corn will be more certain to produce satisfactory yields If land 1311 intended for spring wheat e cannot be put Into good condition ear- ear ily Oc lJ enough for seeding oats or barley can an be substituted to good advantage In Inthe the sections where these crops are known known- to do well The ease with which barley may be substituted di directly dl- dl 1 rS Teeny for wheat In human food and its usefulness to replace wheat millIng mill mill- lug Ing by products as food In the production production pro pro- of the milk supply renders its Us abundant production important The p place ace of rye under present conditions Is Isan an nn important one The crop this year ear should be harvested and utilized with more than the usual care I The high food value of rice in the 1 opinion of the secretary warr warrants ants a n large increase in planting In the states r where this cereal can be grown InCreased Increased In- In 0 creased acreage of grains sorghums Is also strongly recommended L Large rge Acreage of Corn Urged The vital Importance nce of a large acreage acreage acre acre- age of or corn Is pointed out by Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- tary Houston He TIe sa says s thIs tills crop is the leading lending food and f feed eed crop rop of the fire United States In geographic range n of ot r production acreage and quantity of production Because of the prices s obtaIned obtained ob ob- tamed for tor the last crop and tho world 5 Y demand for this grain Its profitableness profitable profitable- ness mess to the American farmer during th the approaching season Is clear Conditions Con Con- now warrant the planting of the largest of this acreage crop which h it Is possible to handle effectively Although fall tin Is the proper time for breaking sod for tor corn there are many unproductive and foul meadows and indifferent pastures l In Illinois Indiana IncH Indi unit ann ana Ohio and the Middle l Atlantic and Northeastern States that under existing exist exist- existing exist exist- ing conditions can cnn be broken now to advantage and planted to corn com The Tho resulting reduction of hay and pasture r would be more than replaced by the corn rn stover ensilage and grain ln pro pro- Earliness of maturity other factors factors fac me- tors tom being equal is advantageous Inthe inthe In Inthe the case of practically all grain crops Relatively ely early maturing varieties should hould be he selected where here possible and iU e planting should be done at nt the earliest earliest ear ear- liest suitable date With the be small grains grains grains-an an advance of three or four days In stage of mat maturity frequently saves a n crop ClOp from serious damage b by rusts With corn a n similar advantage is obtained by early maturity when severe droughts are arc encountered and when killing frosts occur toward the end of the season Hay and Forage A uA deficiency of hay and forage ornge forthe forthe for the n next tt winter whiter would Jeopardize the future meat and dairy supplies atthe of at the country and result in a n shortage of roughage foY fol military draft and saddle animals In regions where dairying dominates the full acreage of clover alfalfa and the grasses that thatIs Is In productive condition should be maintained Under the conditions prevaIlIng prevailing prevailing pre pre- in most dairying sections these crops can cnn be carried with less man manpower manpower power than that required for tilled crops The older thinner and less productive lve grass lands however frequently frequently frequently fre fre- I can be made to produce much larger yields yIelds' of f feed in corn than If left as they arc are In unproductive grass Seed potatoes should be conserved by planting on the best lands available f for r them and planning for thorough tillage and protection of the crop against disease and Insect pests Potatoes Potatoes Potatoes Po Po- can be grown most advantageously advantageously advantage advantage- near the centers of population In the Northern States where transportation transportation transportation trans trans- cost may be reduced to a n minimum This crop Is capable of quick and large Increase of production production tion lion when conditions are favorable Such vegetable crops as carrots rutabaga turnips onions and cabbage cabbage cab- cab bage jage are worthy of much m more re attention attention attention atten atten- tion than they generally receive especially especially espe espe- in the eastern United States All these crops are capable of pf large production on suitable land under Intensive intensive In- In culture throughout the more densely populated portions portions' of the country uThe high prices for foodstuffs that have prevailed during the last few m months have stimulated interest in the Increase of home supplies of vegetables vegetables vegetables bles poultry and dairy products on farms Through increased ased attention to poultry on farms it Is possible to add quickly and materially to the food tood supply When conditions render it feasible small flocks of poultry should be kept I by families In villages towns and especially especially es es- esi i in the suburbs of large cities The need for this extension of poultry raising Is particularly great grent where consumption e exceeds production as ns Inthe in inthe inthe the Northeastern states s. s Consumers living in villages villages' and andIn andin In n the suburbs of cities do not appreciate appreciate sufficiently the possibility of adding adding add- add ing ng materially to their food supply by utilizing suitable Idle soil In yards s vacant vacant va va- cant lots and unused outlying fields The total contribution to the food supply supply supply sup sup- ply of families and communities which can be brought about through such activities activities ac- ac Is great Gardening is peculiarly peculiarly an activity In which the family and the community may share with resultant mutual helpfulness and benefit The duty of the Individual farmer at nt this time Is to Increase his production production tion Ion particularly of food crops If he helas has las control of tillable land not In use or money lying Idle or labor he loyed he should extend his operations opera- opera Ions so as to employ those resources to o the fullest extent This does not mean menn that he should rob his land Jand waste vaste his capital or expend his labor fruitlessly but that by wise planning and earnest effort he should turn out outa a greater quantity of food crops than ever before He will not lose by It and andle he will perform rm ah an an Important service service service ice in supporting his country In the task that lies before It The agricultural agricultural agricultural tural sufficiency of a nation is not attained attained attained at at- unless as the units which compose compose compose com com- pose it are efficient Those agricultural agricultural tural workers who produce conserve and market wisely will help toward the achievement of national agricultural agricultural tural sufficiency and thus will perform valuable service for the nation |