EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 9 



PLANS FOR 1919. 



It is too early to make detailed suggestions for the spring planting 

 season of 1919. During this fall the Department, the agricultural 

 colleges, and other agencies carried on a campaign for a large wheat 

 acreage, and indications were given by States as to where the 

 requisite planting could be secured without calling for an extension 

 of the area or even a normal acreage in the States which had suffered 

 from drouth for two years. It was suggested that, if possible, at 

 least 45,000,000 acres of wheat should be planted. Fortunately, we 

 have two seasons for wheat sowing, and the Department was aware of 

 the fact that, if a large acreage was planted in the fall and came 

 through the winter in good condition, there would be an opportunity 

 to make appropriate suggestions in reference to the spring opera- 

 tions. The informal indications coming to the Department are that 

 the farmers exceeded the plantings suggested by the Department. 

 We do not know how either the wheat or the rye will come through 

 the winter, and are not now able to state what the requirements 

 should be for the next season, nor can anyone now tell what the 

 world demand will be at the close of the harvest season of 1919. 

 We do know that for the ensuing months the Nation is likely to be 

 called upon for large quantities of available food and feeds to supply 

 not only the peoples with whom we cooperated in the war but also 

 those of the neutrals and the central powers. This will involve a 

 continuation of conservation on the part of our people and probably 

 of the maintenance of a satisfactory range of prices for food prod- 

 ucts during the period. When the nations of Europe will return to 

 somewhat normal conditions and resume the planting of bread and 

 feed grains suflEicient in large measure to meet their requirements, 

 and whether the shipping will open up sufficiently to permit the free 

 movement of grains from distant countries like Australia, India, 

 and Argentina, it is impossible now to say. It is certain that all 

 these nations will direct their attention very specifically to the pro- 

 ducing of supplies in respect to which good returns may naturally 

 be expected. It will be to the interest of the whole world to expedite 

 this process as much as possible ; and, while the problem of immediate 

 distribution of available foods demands urgent consideration, the 

 production programs for the next harvest should also receive no less 

 common and urgent attention. 

 97335°— AGS 1918 2 



