Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-02
VlRGlNlA'S DEFENSE
IN SAFE FARMING

Bl.ACkSBCRG. VA, April 1.-The
country is now virtually in state
OF war. and the conditions OF tho food
crop Of the world. il not alarming. are
serious. The situation in brief Is: I'VE
must take thought OF our bodies. wha,
We shall cat and what No shall drink" :;
and thoughtful mon may VOL wonder
IL we Will have food and drink enough
to last us very long We owe il to
ourselves to produce tho necessary sup
plies for the family and. II war is de-
clarcd for tho mon who must do the
lighting. Indications are that. for the
first time since tho civil war We Will
be unable TO purchase supplies from
other countries, therefore il Is inlpcra-
tive that we produc" them AT home \
shortage Of food may bring us to actual
suffering.
The ono supreme problem this year
IN the world is food, and II is ~ tho
utmost Importance that enough food for
the people OF Nirg inia be produced here
IN the state within reach. and not de-
pendent upon INTERRUPTED transDorta-
ton facilities. II is inevitable that war
shall bring distress upon the people.
and II il a time when every man should
set his affairs in order. The problem
of producing the food supply under a
safe system Of farming becomes at once
tho most important OF all. and !, can
not he too strongly smphasiz that
every attention this year should bc
given To the garden. the corn, tho hay
the conservation and breeding Of poul-
try and hogs, mich cows. beef cattle
and other food products. In this is
our greatest safety. and the slogan OF
the people throughout the State should
be: Virginia Must Feed Herself"
Self-prescrvation has been said 10 be
the first law Of nature. and IL so. our
first law during the season OF 1917
ought 10 h" To grow our own food. be
cause that mems sclfprescrvation.
Safe farming means system of farm
ing which supports the family on the
farm. provides ample forage and other
feed for tho live stock, and grows some
crops for cash sale upon tho market.
Here are til" simple items OF our safe
fa rming program:
|. \ home garden for every family
on the farm. From onc-tcnth to one
fourth acre. well located. we'll titled
and tended as carefully ms any other
crop on the farm. planted III rotation
TO time the vegetable crops so as TO
have continuous supply for the family
table as many DAYS in the year as pos
sble To this should he added one
fourth OF An acre Of potatoes. either
Irish or sweet, or both. To be used as
food for tho family. An acre OF
sorghum or sugar cane should he pro-
duced TO supply the family with syrup.
II means can he found for grinding the
cane and making the syrup.
>. Produce enough corn on each farm
I" last the family and the live stock
with certainty for one year. with a
little excess for safety.
3. Produce sufficient oats and other
small grain To supplement tho corn as
food for one year with certainty re-
membcrinS that these small graz con-
serve the soil in winter and provide
some grazing for live stock.
4. Produce the hay and forage crops.
y, l.
and millct. necessary to supply the live
stock on the farm for one year. with
q little excess Tor safety. not forget
ting the lcgumes which add fertility
to the soil and produce the hest hay.
.. Produce the necessary meat. eggs
and milk for the family. The meat
should bc produced by increased atten-
ton I" poultry and hogs. because Of
the rapidly with which these can he
produced. Every family should have
at least two COWS. so that one can be
in milk all of the time. y sufficient
number Of brood sows should be kent
to produce the pork for the family,
with some excess for sale. The number
OF laying hens should he increased and
carefully tended to produce eggs and
poultry FOR the table. with a sufficient
excess for sale. The average number
or poultry per farm should be gradually
; Increased To at least fifty. The live
stock on the farm should be gradually
increased as whole. so as TO consume
the otherwise waste products Of tho
farm and make the Improbable and
untillahle lands productive This
! means attention to The breeding care
! and feeding of poultry and hogs, beef
| cattle. milch cows, etc.
g. When the living has been amply
provided for. grow other things for
the main money crop.
| q. Plan to sell or exchange the sur
| plus products Of the garden. the or
| chnrd. the poultry. the live stock. the
| eggs and the feed crops to cover the
necessary running expenses of the farm
and to save the real cash crop
For specific information in the pro.
duction OF any crop. call upon your
county demonstration agent or tho
| Agricultural College at Black sburg
Help Of any kind available will be fur.
nished YOU gladly