The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-12-07
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
WORK IN AGRICULTURE
AND HOME ECONOMICS
Agricultural Collepe Misc

III THE FARMERS OF MISSISSIPPI
Pr:
The most patriotic and probably
the most profitable thing Mississippi
farmers can do now is to prepare to
increase their hog crops 100 per-
cent.
1t now seems that in the last analy-
sis the nations richest in fats and
pork will be the victors.
We must have more hogs is the
call, not from the consumers of the
country, but from our army, and from
Belgium. France, England. and italy.
This striking statement from the
Nation makes US wonder if we are
really doing all we can. The whole
allied world and the neutrals are now
looking to the United States for help
as the bullwark against worldwide
famine. From Finland we have news
that the people are on the verge of
starvation and are now subsisting on
a bread made largely of edible bark.
Wheat production in France is off
so percent, all foodstufs short 35
percent and arnes appeals have lust
come from French authorities for
more food. Sweden is issuing a
bread ration 25 percent below that
given to German people. In Den
mark and Norway there are not six
months supplies on hand. Switzer-
land and Holland are wholly depend
ent on us.
The wheat stocks of the world have
been reduced to the smallest amount
ever known. Flocks and herds are
greatly diminished-as is particularly
the case in Denmark, whose magnif-
cent herds are now being deliberately
destroyed, and in Belgium-while the
pig is rapidly disappearing.
Mr.. Hoover has tackled a problem
greater than that undertaken hereto
fore by any single man. To him a
dozen nations are coming as their
one hope to preserve their people
IRON actual starvation.
To help feed these countries as
well as to furnish food for the armies
in the field Mr.. Hoover has asked
Mississippi to raise more hogs. and
more hogs.
Some form of pork seems to be
essential to an efficient army and
large quantities are now needed fol
the American soldiers.
Once recognizing the great need
of more hogs, Mississippi farmers viii
need no assurance of a minimum
price for this product, yet assurance
is given by Mr.. Hoover that Il rigiC
coftfef pf the packers will be estab
lished andrso far as the Food Admin
!~istration a help the price of aver
age hogs will not go below $500
hundred weight on the Chicago MAJ
ket. The normal price of hogs vii
be 100 pounds of hogs to equal il
price 13 bushels of corn. SO if corr
} should go to $500 Il bushel on tn,
. Chicago market hogs will automati
| cally go to $25 a hundred.
This as you see will yield a big re
turn for a patriotic service.
Y A litter of eight pigs, narrowed il
March OF April and sold in Decembe
at 9 or 10 months old, when the,
should weigh $50 pounds each. vii
weigh a total of 1000 pounds. Even
S at the lowest figure of $3.50 a hun
dred, these pigs will bring $40, an,
you still have the brood SOW. 1t vii
$ take much less land and labor to pro
duce feed for these pigs, than it vii
to raise two bales of cotton, and tn.
profits will be much greater. Al
over Mississippi there are nice youni
Y gifts that are now in the fattenin,
: pen to be marketed or put into tn
smoke house. SO far as your infu
ence goes will you see that these gilt
are saved and bred during December
:, Help the pig club boys to kee
their gifts and sows or to sell Their
~ Univ ohC WIZ Will uleeu luclH.
BY doing these things to the hes
t of your ability and doing them quick
ly, you are sending reinforcement
directly to the boys at the front.
w. H. SMITH.
Nice-Chairman State Counc
e of Defense.
K. p. WILSON.
: State Agent and Assistant Director