Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 166, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1918 — Breeding Stock on Farms Is One of Most Vital Factors to People [ARTICLE]

Breeding Stock on Farms Is One of Most Vital Factors to People

By A. G. LEONARD.

Present of Chicago Union Stock Yard.

To the average American farmer the world war is still a far-off event. When he does wake up to the true significance of this great struggle, he will see that preservation of breeding stock on farms is one of the most vital factors to all the people of every nation, in order that the world’s rapidly disappearing supply of meats, wool and leather may be replenished. Everything points to a continuance of the war for some time to come. ' The world’s needs will increase as the war goes on. Is it not plain that the demands upon agriculture for food and clothing will grow greater and greater with each month of destruction; that it will be impossible to produce an adequate supply, especially of animal products, such as meats, leather and wool, unless breeding herds are maintained, and that those American farmers who are wise enough to realize this fact and prepare for the world’s coming greatest needs, which are inevitable, will reap the greatest rewards for their foresight, both in money and the gratitude of their fellow men ? There was an estimated yield last year in the United States of 3,210,000,000 bushels of corn, which is an increase of 627,000.000 bushels over the crop of 1916. It is easily seen that the usual quantity of corn thrown upon the grain market and sold as corn will be more than doubled during the season just about to open. The amount of corn consumed directly as human food is so small compared to that fed to live stock that any probable increase in the former would scarcely affect the proportions of the entire, crop; so, in spite of the great world demand Cfor cereals, there is more than likely during the coming year to be a large surplus of corn thrown upon the markets for grain, with resulting declines in market value. At the same time oonditions give a positive assurance of-sustained prices for live ■stock of all kinds. , The logic of the whole situation points to liberal profits for those who study-it broadly in the light of'facts and hold on to their young and feeding stock until matured.