The Possibilities of Increased 

 CROP PRODUCTION 



From the earliest dawn of history men and women 

 have studied the possibilities of crop production, but 

 the subject has never been of more importance than 

 it is at the present time, when the world's supplies of 

 food are falling, and the efforts of a considerable part 

 of the human race are bent on destroying the stock 

 that is left. Unless we can somehow increase our 

 crop production, we, our children, and our civilization 

 run a lively risk of being overwhelmed in disaster. 



Although the problem is an old one, its present- 

 day aspects have many new features. Under old 

 peace-time conditions the farm, like any other busi- 

 ness concern, was run frankly for profit, and the 

 standard for measuring a man's success or failure was 

 simply the amount of profit obtained per acre. Under 

 present-day conditions, however, the standard is 

 wholly different: it is now the amount of human 

 food per acre that matters calories instead of pounds, 

 shillings, and pence have become the standard. And 

 although it is admittedly difficult to change horses 

 while crossing a stream, the patriotism . and good 

 sense of the farmer have enabled him to make the 

 change in outlook, which is steadily being followed 

 by changes in methods. Our recent meat troubles 

 remind us that we shall involve ourselves in disaster 

 if we make food production actually unprofitable; but 



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