Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-08
EFFORTS TO CUT DOWN
LIVING COST ARE TOLD
Sccretar! Houston Discusses Dis
trlhution of Foods OF the
Country.
ANNUAL REPORT MADE PUBLIC
one OF Principal Aims OF Department
OF Agriculture Has Been To In
crease Meat Observation-Disclosures
of Sheep Recommended

w \ II Nc TON. December -
/ Efforts to reduce tho cost of living
! through increased production and bet
I Ier distribution Of tho country's foods
are detailed in tho annual report of
Secretary Houston. Of the 3npartmcnt
! or Agriculture. made public to-day
In" report also dcVotcS consGcr abIr
attention To tho pure food law. and
! urges on Congress tho need OF
Strengthening IL to permit standardzu-
ton OF foods and drugs and inspection
OF food and drug factories
Records Of tho department. the re-
port sets forth. show that. except For
meat ana dairy products. the per
capita production OF the leading food
commodities IN the United States has
remained about the same, DESPITE the
rapid growth of population Statistics
presented cover period # sixteen
years. The population has increased in
that time SO per cent. There is ground
for optimism. the report says, as to
the ability of tho nation not only 20
supply itself with food but increas-
ingly to meet the needs of the world
one of the principal aims of the
depa<ment has been TO increase meat
production. The report shows q steady
growth since 1913 in the output OF
beef and an advance in the number of
swine every year since 1899 More OK
tensi"c sheep raising is recomm ended
as source of food IT is pointed out
that only one farm in, seven in the
United states now Supports sheep
Fifty million sheep it is said could
be added to the country's nocks
sTABILIzING OF PRODUCTION
URGENTLY RECOMMENDED
Stabilizing OF production Is recon-
mended as one OF the greatest aEricui-
tural needs in producing food crops
sufficient TO meet demands. This can
bc accomplished best. the report points
out, through better adapted or i'm
proved crop varieties. more systematic
ana rational crop rotation aud improved
agricultural practice generally In
many parts OF the country more atton-
ton to livestock production is essen
tial to enduring and economical agri-
culture. The report declares
II is highly desirable, il is pointed
out. that areas for production Of staple
crops be broadcncd as far as expert
once and sound economics may war
rant. In this respect the rcpo-, dwclls
on the Importance OF controlling plant
diseases and insect pests.
Marketing OF farm products. rural
fnancc and rural organizations the re-
port says, have received close atten-
ton from the department in the last
three years. \ four-ycar program de-
reloped in 1913 has been. in large
measure. carried out.
Improved marketing OF live stock
and meats has been sought b. the de-
partmcnl as means Of chcapcninE
these products. Already, the report
says. arrangements have been made
with nfiy-cight stock yard companies
TO secure monthly reports of live stock
receipts and shipments y uniform
system OF marketing records has been
established at the instance Of the de-
partmcnt by Il number of Yards
Methods and costs Of marketing live
stock and meats were Investigated A
preliminary investigation Of the
sources, accuracy and use OF market