AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

145
City, beginning with the latter part of October, November, and De-
cember. Through the leadership of our producers’ organization and
the cooperatives, we have gotten to the point where we can, through
circularizing our members, induce them to produce more heavily in
this shortage. Last vear we just went through it, and it so happened
that the floods in New England forced us not only to produce enough
bo take care of that shortage in that period in New York City, but
as well, through private leadership, and without the aid of the law,
we were also able to supply the New England fluid milk market.

Mr. Stone. That is all right. You may be able to do that with
some commodities by the means you used there, but on the cotton
crop, when 1t depends on a period of five or six months’ growth for
its production, it is of a totallv different character and presents a
totally different situation.

Mr. MEenNGEs. Mr. Stone, in regard to Mr. Clarke’s question, that
is a matter of feeding. You can increase the flow of milk bv the kind
and amount of feed you put into your cow.

Mr. StoNE. Yes, sir.

Mr. MExGcEs. That you can not do in a cotton crop.

Mr. StoNE. You can not.

Mr. MEenGEs. It is out of the question. If the prices are satis-
factory for Mr. Clarke’s dairymen, they will put enough feed into
their cows, of the right kind, to increase the flow of milk to produce
the quantity needed.

Mr. CLarkE. But the price will never be satisfactory to the pro-
ducers, but it took individual and cooperative leadership to bring
that about.

Mr. MEeNGes. In other words, you simply informed them you
could get a satisfactory price for your mil»  -

Mr. CLARkE. No. We never informed them we could get a sat-
isfactory price, because in the long run, you can not satisfy any
producer.

Mr. Menges. I beg to differ with you there.

Mr. KincHELOE. Mr. Stone, I heartily agree with you on the ques-
sion of surplus. I think of all the basic products of this country
there ought to be a surplus. I think it would be dangerous not to
nave it. However, I do not agree with you that we are always going
to have one, because I think if the boys and girls continue leaving
the farms as they have in the last few years, I do not think we are
zoing to have a surplus. I think we are going to have a deficit, but
[ agree with you that the problem now that is uppermost and most

mportant is to take care of the surplus. That is, to have fat years
to go with the lean years. I may be a little premature, but I haven't
got, to my satisfaction, your idea of how to do that.

Mr. StoxE. I haven’t come to that.

Mr. KincHELOE. I beg your pardon.

Mr. Stone. Did you ever read “Rob Roy” when you were a boy?

Mr. KiNcHELOE. Yes, sir.

Mr. StoNE. You remember it was one of the most discouraging
books in the world, because they were about three-quarters through
before they ever introduced the hero, Rob Roy. So, I believe I

have gone too far without coming to the milk in the coconut, but
[ will hurry alone.