Fertilizer Supplies in 1946-1947

Abstract

THE slogan Food Will Win the War first stirred the patriotism of the American farmer to raise all the food crops his acres could grow. Increasing prices for his crops, not only food crops but feed and fiber crops as well, gave him added incentive to make every acre produce high yields. Farmers accustomed to the use of fertilizers knew full well that highest yields could be obtained only if the maximum amount of the right kind of fertilizer was used. They also knew that they had received in additional crop returns several dollars for each dollar spent for fertilizer. Under such a setup, of course, the use of fertilizer increased in the older consuming areas. Those responsible for obtaining the maximum amount of food production turned their eyes also toward those areas of food production where the use of commercial fertilizers was not the common practice—those areas, for instance, ...