The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-08

Congress in the fiscal k$ates for 1916
proposes to carry q 50 work of the
department in hve main groups,
such, as research - relations rural
organizations xserviee, weather
and regulation plan, Secretary
Houston bey will promote CO.
ordination.
Plans for ricting the country for
the enforcement of the pure food law are
announced and the secretary announces
his intention to ask for authority to
prepare amendments to the pure food
law to improve the food supply, pro-
tect the public health and promote uni
formity in food legislation
Discontinue Free Seed
Free distribution of seeds by congress-
men should be discontinued, the secretary
recommends. He would conduct in its
stead constructive work In securing and
distributing new seeds and plants
Conditions vary widely in the United
States, says the report, because farmers
ments and all sections are not similarly
circumstanced. 1t contends that when
all necessary allowance has been made
for fundamental factors 1t is probably
clear that the rural communities are not
as efficiently served as they should be
by existing financial arrangements. The
secretary believes there does not appear
to be need for unique or special legisla-
tion or for legislation which shall aim to
give the farmer credit on easier terms
than other members of society. What is
needed is the creation of conditions and
machinery which shall enable him on sim
liar credit founda tions to secure money
at the same rates as those that prevail
fos other glasses and for other sections.
Good Roads Necessary
Even though the problem OF how the
farmer can best sell his produce and can
improve the conditions under which he
can secure the necessary capital were
solved. there would still remain vital
things to be accomplished before rural life
can be made fully efficient, profitable.
healthful, pleasurable, and attractive, and
before a larger disposition to remhin on
the farm develops. Good roads are pre-
requisite for better marketing, for better
schools, and for more comfortable rural
living. Better sanitation and hygiene
in the home, in the school, and in the
community are just as vital for the rural
community as for the urban.' says the
report.
ITO gain information to enable the de-
partment better to serve rural women,
the secretary has addressed letters of In
quiry to the women on 5000 selected
farms covering every county. Other sur
veys and studies were also conducted.
Analysis of the small part of the letters
as yet digested shows that farm women
desire assistance in all phases of home
management, especially as to ways of se-
curing running water, introducing house.
hold power machinery and labor saving
arrangements, and providing better hy-
gienic and sanitary conditions. Many
seek advice as to the better marketing
of the articles they produce Others ask
the department to prove to the man that
their work Is worth something in dollars
and cents. The overwork of women and
children and difficulty of securing domes-
tic help are mentioned by a number of
the writer's. The department believes that
intelligent help to women in matters
Of home management will contribute di-
rectly to the agricultural success of the
farm 1t purposes, therefore. to ask Con-
gress for means and authority to make
more complete studies of domestic condi-
tions on the farm, to experiment with
labor saving devices and methods, and to
study completely the question of prac-
tical sanitation and hygienic protection
for the farm family.
AS to federal aid for good roads. the sec
retary says the federal government should
deal with the state as the lowest unit,
through an expert highway commission
er as its agency. The plan should pro-
vide for maintenance as well as con-
struction. Preference should be given to
the improvement of roads over which
products from the farms can be taken
to the nearest railway station A scheme
of road construction and maintenance
within state should be developed and
mutually agreed upon Money appropri-
ated by the federal government should
be apportioned on the basis of such fac
tors as total population, farm population,
area, taxable valuation and mileage.
Figures Are Estimates
Special emphasis is laid on the fact that
the figures for crops quoted are estimates
From the estimates at hand 1t appears
that the production of crops in 1913 was
materially below the average, the, yield
per acre of all crops combined being
smaller than in any year in the past
decade with the exception of 1911. The
corn CROP the most valuable product OF
this country, according to the estimates,
fell below 2,5OO,0o0.0oo bushels, which is
smaller than any crop since 1903 Wheat
production. with an estimated total of
1853, O0O, 900 bushels, is the largest ever re-
corded In this country. This crop was
matured before the drouth became eff
fective. Brief mention is made as to croI
conditions throughout the world. From
the estimates it appears that there were
increased areas sown to wheat oats, bar
ley. rye and corn. and that the wheat
acreage has probably yielded a record