Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 245, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1917 — CONSERVATION IS NECESSARY [ARTICLE]

CONSERVATION IS NECESSARY

CROP EXPERTS PROVE NEED OF CONSERVATION IN FOOD SURVEY. ! Preliminary reports on America’s war crop census prove that America’s housewives must conserve wheat very carefully if our European Allies are not to go breadless, according to Chief Charles D. Brand of the U. S_ Department of Agriculture’s Division of Markets. One hundred and eighty-five thousand answers received thus far from 400,000 queries to crop experts, throughout the country show, Brand said, that while the wheat crop is short, there is plenty of corn. “This proves conclusively,’’ said a food administration official today, “that the argument we are using to get the country’s 22,000,000 housewives to sign and live up to the conditions of the food pledge card during food pledge week, Oct. 28 to Nov. 4, is absolutely sound. ‘'We plead with them to save a slice of bread per person per day. We suggest the use of corn bread and other cereals mixed with wheat instead of so much wheat. Brand reports a slight shortage of oats, barley and buckwheat, which confirms our campaign to make corn the chief substitute for wheat.” Chief Brand, basing his statement on reports to his division, urged that housewives be careful not to waste food of any kind. “We cannot be too carfeul,” he declared, “to advise conservation, not only during food pledge week, but at all other times. Buyers should be exact and cautious. All supplies should be handled with care, and economy should be practiced on every side. “I would say that the potato crop is about half again as big as it was last year. Last year’s crop was short. The difference indicated is roughly about a 285,000,000 bushel crop last year compared to a 450,000,000 bushel crop this year. “The wheat crop this year will be approximately 672,000,000 bushels. Last year’s crop, which was shorter even than this year’s, was about 668,000,000 bushels. “Corn production last year amounted to about bushels. We expect 3,200,000,000 bushels of corn this year. “Rice shows a 10 per cent increase thus far. “The sweet potato outlook is fine. We should have 23 per cent more of them this year than last. “Peanuts have increased immensely this year. Beans also are plentiful.” Chief Brand expects all but about 100,000 of the 400,000 answers to his war crop census queries within the next week. He feels that the present figures are reliably indicative, however.