8 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



production to a low ebb, and the wastes of war had taken such 

 a toll that they looked to America to supply the deficiency. 

 America's position to do this was none too bright, for she had 

 experienced a year of light crops, and, further, was called upon 

 at a time when at least one-half of the country had already 

 planted, and the other half, while willing in many instances, did 

 not have the seed, fertilizer or capital to increase. However, 

 the country as a whole rallied splendidly to the call, and food 

 crops in great quantity w^ere planted. In some sections of the 

 south cotton was plowed under and corn planted. The Federal 

 government had, among the many difficult questions to contend 

 with, that of assisting those sections of the country which had 

 been used to importing their food supply largely from other 

 sections. The south and New England were particularly 

 affected by this, as both grew little of what they consumed, 

 and neither had the facilities for growing either cereals or food 

 animals in sufficient quantities to meet their needs. So it was 

 necessary in these particular cases, in so far as possible, to pro- 

 vide substitutes. The planting of corn, beans, peas and 

 potatoes was urged, and the response all over the country has 

 been generous, so that this year America has the distinction of 

 having produced the largest crops, excepting wheat, in its 

 history. Never has there been such a patriotic response on the 

 part of the farmers of the country for increasing their crops. 

 In the face of labor conditions and high prices of materials, 

 they faced financial ruin in case crops did not turn out well or 

 prices dropped; and in spite of general high prices many of 

 them have produced at a loss, and are in no safe position to 

 produce another year. Yet the expression "Conserve or serve" 

 is as truly fitting in relation to the farmer as it is to every one 

 else in the country. We are fighting this war to maintain the 

 right to live our lives under no dictation by any foreign ruler, 

 and sacrifices are as important in reaching this ideal as they 

 were in the days of the Revolution, The country has got to 

 increase its resources as it has never done before, and of these 

 resources agriculture is second to none. The establishment of 

 minimum prices for our crops is a questionable proceeding, for 

 the minimum may as easily be too low as too high. No one 

 can foresee the future well enough to tell what the crop will be 



