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Show III , II lit! s2?5rSA oy: 1 It Is Hoped To Make 1918 a Banner Year for Field I ) and Home Gardens Win the War By a i Raising Bumper Crops. A Copyright, 1U1S, The International Syndicate. IHE MOST VITAL lssuo of tho day, qS it affects the mass of tho Peoplo of tho United States, is food production and Its natural rllary, food conservation. If every wmli WOman 11X1(1 cnlld ln th land-'thin land-'thin whose powor it Is to produco "a conserve food would do their part, 1 tlmeWilr WUld bc won ln a short towl5t. y-r tho PeopJo responded omy to President Wilson's call to till and T, and cultlvatc their gardens K ' U i to ,d3' ThIs year the offort S tnorA . . madG moro extensively and H ' are a,S ? Vly bocause tho ncP,e f ': Sio??m1ok lh0 fact that 11 13 thc M Wopl" abl t0 3Up lta own M ' food Iff? 113 n,llcs ln th ? with f vcS ,f? a7or whlch Presents the . t J! of th0 nation. The most inc4 Silt aFency bohind th People L t1UCfli0n of f00d Production 1 5 ;- oCer?MPartmcnt of Agriculture. Co-Govnff Co-Govnff ith IW branch of, tho Jn t G0Vernmcnt'fl service aro thc Wo agricultural colleges, which aro ex-tdndlng ex-tdndlng their hands to tho food production pro-duction and conservation departments of tho Stato Councils of Defense and to every organization, great and small, within tho state which holds tho great food Issuo'ln vlow. The result Is that bohind tho people of every city, town and rural community throughout the land, who are willing to carry out their part of the production program of 1D18, there is a branch of Federal sorvlco ready to servo as an incontivo and an aid to efllclcnt work. Professor L. C. Corbctt, Chief of the Offlco of Pomologlcal and Horticultural Horticul-tural Investigations of tho United States Department of Agriculture, who outlined tho emergency garden planting plant-ing program of last year, was interviewed inter-viewed ln tho Interest of the people's food drive of 1918, Strong Food Campaign. "Wo aro making a stronger campaign cam-paign for homo vegetable gardens this yoar than evor before," said Professor Corbott, "and I have a few suggestions sugges-tions to mako which may bo of service serv-ice ln the now season's work. It has been the i-ulo of this office, as it Is tho policy of tho Dopartmont of Agriculture, Agricul-ture, not to disturb legitimate business, busi-ness, slnco it is disquieting and disorganizing dis-organizing to commerce. I havo to say, therefore, regarding tho planting of homo gardens, plant for tho use of your family alone. Plant all you need for fresh tablo use, and all for your canning and drying, but beyond that keep out'of tho commercial field. Glvo tho lcgltlmato marketer, who makes it his business to soil his produce pro-duce a clear and undlsturbod field for his operation, so that ho may know what his customary trado may demand de-mand of him. Another point which tho home gardener should bear ln mind ln planning and planting Is, pur-chaso pur-chaso only such seed as Is required. If this rulo bo not adhorod to somo other home gardenor may bo deprived of his share of seed. "Now as to gardens," said Professor Corbett. "We want to develop these gardens ln just as economical a way as possible Wo would mako each town and village utilize its own materials ma-terials for fertilizers. Thcro Is at hand in every rural community, tho rcfuso from the stable and chicken house, and thc wood ashes. Carofully handled such material contributes 'to tho enrichment of land with the very best results, and leaves commercial fortlllzors for thoso who must pur- chase them as a matter of necessity. City Compost Dump. "For tho cities, I am prepared to advocate a municipal compost dump, ln somo one of tho many wasto placos on tho outskirts of every town. This would provide a valuablo sourco of supply to be drawn upon at will by tho peoplo for their back and vacant lot gardons. Tho American pcoplo must learn to mako as light a draft as possible upon tho commercial Industries, In-dustries, which are requisitioned by war needs. As another Instance, If a hoo or a rako Is broken they should mend it and so savo industry and material for tho greater need of tho day." Professor O. H. Benson, who Is in charge of tho Boys' nnd Girls' Club work in tho North and West States Relations Service, Department of Agriculture, has originated many of tho production and conservation projects proj-ects which have holped tho country to a material degroo Corn And Potatoes. "Among thoso things which wo aro stressing In tho Boys' and Girls club work aro corn and potatoes, which will bo produced In greater .abundance .abund-ance than ever before," said Professor Corbott "War gardens and home, canning will bo among tho leading projects along usual linos. As ono of tho newer features of tho work of 1918 will bo tho growing of sugar boots for tho purpose of manufacturing manufactur-ing syrups and sweets to relievo the sugar stringency. "Any stato that will produco potatoes pota-toes will grow beets, and any girl or boy can produco syrup from thoso boots by tho tested methods which havo been at their disposal by tho Department of Agriculture," said Professor Pro-fessor Corbett "Beet syrup may be usod for all purposes for which other syrups or molasses may bo employed and will go a long way townrd relieving reliev-ing tho sugar shortage." Other original processes which Professor Pro-fessor Bonsoir will introduco among his clubs this season aro vegetable marmalades and fruit and vogotable candy, all of which havo been successfully suc-cessfully worked out In tho laboratories labora-tories of tho Department of Agriculture. Agricul-ture. Ho Is also stressing quick meat production, pork and poultry raising bolng among his projects also the organizing or-ganizing of lamb and Bhccp clubs, by means of which ho hopes to in-fluonco in-fluonco tho wool supply. Professor Benson will also encourage tho goncral utilization of rabbits and other wild game, ospoclally rocommondlng their canning and drying as a measuro of food conservation. School Children Big Help. "Thcro aro ovor 23,000,000 Amcr- III I ' 'IH lean children of school ago ln tho United States. Their work may bo mado a wonderful asset ln tho war If thoy arc Inspired to do It In tho right way and protected ln doing It" said Professor Benson. "Last year our children canned 850,000,000 cans or packages of homo products. Wo hopo to doublo this amount during tho year before us." Immediately upon tho outbreak of tho war tho Stito Agricultural colleges col-leges revised their programs, rearranging rear-ranging their work to meet tho situation. situa-tion. Heads of colleges called upon tho Homo Economics Teachers to see what could bo dono In the mnttor of food production and conservation. Forthwith they planned emergency training for senior students, who wero given Instruction ln special classes and many of them sent back to tholr homo communities for tho purpose of producing food and stimulating others to llko offorts. Matter was published and sont throughout tho statos for thc use of clubs and of Individuals, and It Is an Interesting fact that beforo tho establishment of tho Food Administration Ad-ministration tho (agricultural colleges throughout tho United' States had tholr emergency work In homo economics econ-omics well ln hand. Tho councils of dofbnso of tho majority ma-jority of tho statos. In cooporatlon with tho Department of Agriculture and tho stato agricultural colleges, are placing a hundred per cent heavier prcssuro on food production this yeaT ,( n than last A striking Instance Is af- fwJH forded by tho Stato of Nebraska, I TfM whoso Council of Defonse recently ap- j j IH pointed an export to mako a survey of f)i tho ontlro state. This shows every j JM foot of tillable ground ln tho stato j . , IH and tho powers behind tho project VM stand ready to recommend tho best , uso to which tho land may bo put , Woman's Part. ! Tho Woman's Department of tha State Council of Defense, of Missouri, , j has dono a great work in food produc- jl j tlon and conservation. Thc Thrift , Gardon Commltteoof tho Woman's j , 1 Council, of St Louis, performed vail- ' ant work last year, holding mass- i meetings to stlmulato Interest among j women and children. Tho Junior Pro- M tectlvo Garden League, of St Louis, grew out of this movomcnt, proving " . itself a very efficient organization. Tho work of this league Is fully organized for its 191S garden work. In Its conservation operations tho St. Louis organization won, high plaudits from Professor Benson, of i!H tho Dopartmont of Agriculture who jl, pronounced tho cannery of that city , , to bo one Of the throo best, models ln ', ; , tho United States. I ilf ' IH In Rhode Island tho Board of Roc- I ( rcatlon Is asking that all vacant prop- , i j orty bo turned over to It for tho sea- son, not for rocreatlon but for plant- ( , , lng, by which It would appear that i J rocroatlon In Rhode Island this year Is ,, to bo found In planting food gardens. 'jf |