Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-07-03
NEGLECT CHEAP FOOD
AMERICANS TOLD FISH rs NU-
TRITIVE AND COSTS LITTLE.
The Year Book of the Agricultural De-
partment Gives Much Valuable
Information.

Department OF Agriculture for I9l3
has just come from the presses and is
now being distributed to congress
men. The new volume differs in sew
eral respects from its predecessors.
The articles that it contains are in
general of a more popular and in
structive character, and although the
book itself contains a smaller number
of pages, it is safe to say that it has
as much valuable material in it as
ever.
In addition to the secretary's re-
port there are fourteen special arti-
cles by department experts and an ap-
pendix containing statistics Of the
principal crops; a table of the animals
imported into the United States for
breeding purposes, for which certifi-
Gates of pure breeding have been is
sued, and lists of the agricultural
colleges and experiment stations in
the United States, together with the
names of the state officials in charge
of agriculture.
The book is illustrated by fifty-four
full-page plates, of which a large
number are reproduced in colors, and
by twenty-one tables, maps and line
drawings.
In the article in the year book the
cost of living plays prominent part.
DR.. Pennington, for example, points
out that Americans neglect a val
liable supply of fish at their disposal.
The protein content of fish is fully
as high as that of meat and yet, al
though meat prices rise steadily, lit
tie or no effort is made to use the
cheaper substitute. 1t is the foreign
population of the United States which
eats the greater part of the fish con-
sumed in this country. DR.. Penning-
ton points out that the ordinary Amer
lean is completely ignorant of the
great variety of fish at his disposal.
The cheapness of this food is also
scarcely realized. Dr. Pennington
names ten staple varieties, some of
which it is safe to say can always
be purchased for less than 10 cents
pound, even when prices are highest,
and can usually be obtained for less
than 5 cents.
Another article by w. F. Ward
shows how greatly the beef industry
in the South has profited from the
work of eradicating the cattle tick.
One indication of the growing interest
in beef industry in this section is the
large number Of farmers who, for the
first time, are buying pure bred cat
tie.
The business side of farming is con-
sidered in two articles by W. j. Spill
man and T. N. Carver: "Factors OF
Efficiency in Farming and "The
of Rural Interests"
Prof. Spillman finds that in the last
analysis the farmer himself is the de-
termining factor in every successful
agricultural enterprise. He is as
quick to see the advantages of new
system Of management as he is those
in improved methods of tilling the
soil or feeding his stock. DR.. Carver
tells with the aid Of graphic maps
what has already been done in the
way of organizing cooperative enter
orises for the benefit of farmers. Mu-
.ual insurance companies, cooperative
,reameries, cheese factories and ele-
vators are among some Of these wide
spread enterprises.
Other articles deal with various
branches of the work of the depart
nent, ranging in subject from dis
,ussion by c. F. Langworthy OF
What the Department Does for the
to an article on "The
Practical Value of Entomology by
F. M. Webster. Prof. F. E. L. Beal
1as gathered material for an article
IN American thrushes, which shows
hat they are not to be priced for
heir song alone, but are in other ways
If real assistance to the farmer, and
J. P. Collins tells of practical tree
More strictly agricultural
papers are those of C. R. Ball on the
Grain Sorghums,' L. H. Dewey on
Hemp"