4 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



and practically impossible within a reasonable time to increase it. 

 Then, too, competitive purchasing by foreign agencies on a large 

 scale of all food products was prevalent, and manipulation and specu- 

 lation were rife. Prices were mounting rapidly and conditions of 

 living were becoming more difficult. 



INITIAL EFFORTS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION. 



It was recognized even before the war that the food problem was 

 serious and that constructive action was necessary. This Depart- 

 ment accordingly had taken steps to allay unnecessary apprehension, 

 to promote economy and thrift, to secure fuller conservation of farm 

 products and of foods, and to insure increased production of all 

 essential agricultural commodities. The many agricultural agencies 

 of the Nation began to direct attention to these problems and to coop- 

 erate effectively with the Department. The increased need of this 

 Nation and of the world for food from our farms and the importance 

 of greatly increasing production were emphasized. In the South, in 

 particular, where effective work had been done for years to secure a 

 diversified agriculture and greatly to increase yields of staple com- 

 modities and where unusual opportunities to increase food products 

 were presented, a special campaign was conducted by the Depart- 

 ment in cooperation with agricultural colleges and other agencies, 

 with the effective aid of the daily press, agricultural journals, farmers' 

 associations, bankers, and other business men. Many pertinent bulle- 

 tins and circulars were distributed. The farm-demonstration ma- 

 chinery was fully utilized. More energetic action everywhere was 

 taken to combat plant and animal diseases. 



In January, 1917, appeals were sent to the South to help feed the 

 Nation, to supply its own necessities so far as possible, and to pro- 

 duce a surplus of foodstuffs. It was urged especially that each farm 

 family make a home garden, plant enough corn to last the family 

 and the live stock for a year, raise sufficient oats and other small 

 grain to supplement the corn, as well as the necessary hay and forage 

 crops for the live stock, and produce the meat, poultry, and dairy 

 products required by the family ; and also to devote adequate atten- 

 tion to cotton as the main money crop. 



In February special emphasis was laid on the necessity of raising 

 beet seed on a large scale to make certain a larger supply of sugar 

 beets. It was pointed out that before the war the beet-sugar in- 



