FARMERS' PART IN WORLD WAR 27 



and only about 200,000,000 bushels above the 

 pre-war crop. 



WhDe farmers could expand their operations 

 to more crop acreage by plowing up their pas- 

 tures and using land which normally would 

 have been left alone, they could not control the 

 yield factor, which, with respect to some crops, 

 was none too favorable during the war years. 

 There was a shortage of fertilizers in some 

 quarters which also tended to reduce production. 

 The farmers did their best at the outset by 

 planting an increased acreage whenever pos- 

 sible. 



The efforts to increase live stock production 

 in the time of war could not be expected to have 

 great results when the demand was so general 

 for breadstuff s. Live stock producers were ap- 

 prehensive concerning prices and so long a time 

 was required to mature live stock that they 

 hesitated to go into it in an emergency manner. 

 It takes more time to build up a live stock busi- 

 ness than it does to launch into crop production. 

 But in spite of the various handicaps there was 

 an increase in live stock kept in the United 

 States though not equal to the increased demand 

 of Europe for live stock products. 



The number of horses on farms increased 



