Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1917 — Middle West in Great Food Drive [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Middle West in Great Food Drive

by Robert H.Moulton

Farmers of our vast central section not only are giving their sons but are raising bumper crops to help win the war against autocracy

T/gA VENTS of a revolutionary characr 5*7 ter have taken place on the middle Western farms since America’s en-tr-v into the war. When President Wilson Issued his call to the I* a / American farmer to do his duty in war times by .feeding the world, or that portion of it engaged in the war for democracy, he launched the biggest drive for increased food production in the history of the world. In fact, no step toward preparedness in connection with the participation of the United States in the war has proceeded more rapidly thai\ the mobilization of the farm resources of the middle' West, which Just now is preparing itself for the task of feeding not only the United States, but a large part of the world. Despite the fact that the call to the fields jcame too late to affect the winter wheat crop, ithe middle Western farmer has made tremendous advances in increasing the acreage of his other food crops, such as corn, oats, rye and other farm products. Present indications are that the wheat crop will not be large enough to much more than meet the needs of America, let alone the exportation of large quantities of this product which [must be made to the allies, but famine is still a distant specter. For the first time in its history the world is going to learn a valuable lesson in domestic economy, and that is the adaptation of fother farm products for food purposes. One of (the first results will be a world-wide campaign |to dethrone King Wheat and enthrone King Corn, (whose monarchy heretofore has scarcely extendjed beyond the boundaries of the United States. The bumper corn crop which the middle West will ralsq this summer, barring such unforeseen calamities as drought and floods, will stave off hunger for a large portion of .the world. Present indications are that the corn acreage in the 112 great corn states of the country will be inicreased from 20 to 30 per cent, or .even more in ■some localities, due to the fact that thousands of acres- of winter wheat lands were made useless for that purpose by the severe cold weather, ’which killed the wheat. An increase of 20 per ■cent in the acreage planted in corn will add approximately 500,000.000 bushels of corn to the (nation's crop. A large portion of this increased (yield will go to. European allies of the United States and to neutral nations. It is probable that iUncle Sam will have t 6 send some of his experts jin domestic science abroad to instruct the European in the value and methods of preparing corn las a food product. The nation’s corn crop has averaged 3,000,000,1000 bushels in the last few years, a no inconsidierable mark in itself, but reports collected by agirlcultural experts from the middle West indicate, ithat the 1917 crop will approximate 3,500,000,000. Ibushels. The banner corn states of the Union are prepared to do their share In the drive for Increased food production. Conservative estimates iof what some of the leading states in the cornIbelt region will do this year are: Illinois, 400.1000,000 bushels; lowa, 325,000,000 to 350.000.000 'bushels; Nebraska. 250,000,000 bushels; Missouri, '225,000,000 bushels; Indiana, 200,000,000 bushels, and Texas. 200,000,000 bushels. Such middle (Western states as Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan will have (greatly Increased acreages of corn this season, idue to several reasons. In the Western group of (States which He in the heart of the wheat belt (thousands of acres of winter wheat were killed ■ during the winter. Despite the fact that the (Spring wheat acreage planted this year is unusuially larger, there still remained many thousands of acres of land which could be used for no other (purpose than for corn or oats, two of the leaders dji the great trio of farm crops. The harvest this summer is likely to see a .rec-,ord-breaking crop of oats, approximating 2,000,•000,000 bushels. Tremendous increases will also be made in the rye, kafir corn sorghum and forage crops., all of which are important factors In supplying the tables of the world with important food products. It is this latter activity in planting greatly increased acreages of the minor crops that is expected to bring on a small revolution in farming circles. Instead of depending upon one, two or three of the big trio of crops, the farmer is devoting hls_ energy to -the growing other crops which supplement the food products gained from wheat, oats. “Shus, in the case of a failure of any of the important crops, America, iwlll h'»ye plenty of -substitutes to fall back upon. Already food chemists and experts in almost all of the middle Western states are busily engaged in finding, new flour substitutes. Discoveries made in a number of laboratories indicate that America’s bread will be baked with the , aid of more varieties of flour than ever before. Kafir corn and feterita have been found to mhke acceptable flours, and the use of cottonseed meal In the preparation of breadstuffs will soon gain widespread popularity. Chemists are engaged on other still hunts for new food substitutes, and by the end of the year America will be eating scores of new foods and combinations of foodstuffs which have been wasted heretofore or fed to live stock. x • Emergency food commissions established In all »f the states are conducting an aggressive cam-

paign to enlist the support of all farmers in the work of growing greatly Increased crops. “Keep everj’ acre working this summer,” is a campaign slogan which is heard in all of the great farming states. The result will be that in the fall the ' farmers will harvest peanut, bean, buckwheat, potato and other “catch crops,” a departure in the history of agriculture. According to present indications, the potato crop will be nearly 200,000,000 bushels larger than ever before, while prodigious quantities of peanuts and beans will be available for food products in the fall and during 1918. The mobilization of the farms for war service has been conducted along many lines of service. Close co-ordination between all branches of the Industry has given tremendous Impetus to the campaign to Increase the nation’s food supply. Travelers who pass through the middle West this year will see scenes along railroad property comparable to those in Europe, where the farmers have been cultivating such idle ground for years. In some states, notably lowa and Kansas, well-defined steps have been taken to- encourage the planting of certain useful crops along the roadsides. lowa has more than 200,000 acres of unused land along its public highways which could be drafted for this purpose, while Kansas has more than 150,000 acres, according to a recent survey. ' It Is safe to say that virtually every acre of

land which can be handled conveniently during the summer months has been placed under cultivation in lowa and the surrounding states. The labor shortage is so serious that thousands of farmers have been greatly handicapped in putting out Increased acreage because of the fear that they would be unable to harvest the crops unaid- ’ ed. It is estimated that the middle. West will require an army of 500,000 farm laborers this summer If the food crop is to be“saved~ In Its entirety. Farm laborers can command almost any price for their services, but despite alluring offers they are hard to get. Canada is paying as high as $75 a month for laborers, and in some cases Is promising them free homesteads. In the Northern states farm hands can command wages ranging from $45 to S6O a month and board. A few years ago the farm hand who could get $25 or S3O for his services was considered a genius. The patriotic service the farmers are doing this year and which they will be called upon to do next year on a much larger scale will add millions, if not billions, of dollars to the wealth of the country. Mobilization of the farm resources has been one of the most stupendous undertakings ever attempted by the government; but it has succeeded admirably well for 1917, despite the late start. By 1918 every available resource of the middle West will be thrown into the production of vastly Increased yields of all farm crops.